Is Canada about to let Muslim terrorists off the hook?

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OTTAWA — The federal government is considering changes to the Anti-Terrorism Act to make it clear police and security agents do not engage in racial or religious profiling.

Justice Minister Vic Toews said last night he is troubled by the ATA's definition of terrorism as an offence motivated in whole or in part for a "political, religious or ideological purpose."

As an opposition MP when Parliament adopted the ATA four years ago, Mr. Toews said he thought the motivation section of the definition would open the door to racial profiling.

As Justice Minister, he told a Senate committee, he has seen no evidence that in fact the RCMP, CSIS or any other federal law enforcement or security agency has engaged in profiling.

Nevertheless, he fears the motive section "may be at cross purposes to Canadian values" of respect for human rights and equality before the law.

Moreover, the definition might actually make it more difficult to prosecute a terrorism suspect if the authorities have to prove that beliefs motivated the crime, he added.

Mr. Toews said the Conservative government is open to dropping this portion of the definition and wants to hear the views of the Senate and House special committees that are reviewing the ATA.

Senator Mobina Jaffer, a Liberal, said members of minorities believe racial or religious profiling takes place, and the motive section feeds this distrust of the authorities. Change sought in definition of terrorism by Jeff Sallot for the The Globe and Mail

Mark Alexander