Edward Snowden blames ‘politics of fear’ for discouraging Canadian PM Justin Trudeau from repealing anti-terror law

Edward Snowden has waded into the simmering debate over Canada’s controversial anti-terror law, saying that Justin Trudeau was reluctant to repeal the law out of a fear of appearing soft on terror.

Speaking to an audience in Toronto on Tuesday, Snowden pointed to a campaign promise by the Canadian prime minister to amend the sweeping legislation, which gives security forces heightened powers to apprehend suspected terrorists and disrupt their activities.

“But he’s been in office a little while now and we haven’t seen that actually come to pass,” said Snowden, appearing at the SecTor cybersecurity conference via video link from Russia.

Bill C-51 was introduced in early 2015 by the country’s then Conservative government, spawning protests across the country as it became law.

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including legal scholars, civil liberties groups and pundits from across the political spectrum, spoke out against the law and its perceived attempt to supplant the country’s democracy with a creeping police state.

Trudeau vowed to amend the “problematic elements” of the law, rather than simply repeal the legislation, noted Snowden.

“Because he’s afraid of being politically attacked on the basis of being soft on terrorism, regardless of whether or not this law actually helps prevent any terrorist attacks,” he said. “This is just the way the politics of fear work.”

Last month the Liberal government launched a wide-ranging consultation on national security, meaning any potential changes to the law will probably be delayed until next year. The extra time will offer the government the opportunity to get it right, said Ralph Goodale, Canada’s public safety minister, as he announced the consultation.