Library Boy: Library of Parliament Legislative Summary of Bill S-7, the Combating Terrorism Act

The Library of Parliament recently published its legislative summary of Bill S-7, the Combating Terrorism Act (short title):

"It is a 30-clause bill which:

amends section 7(2) of the Criminal Code, which describes acts or omissions in relation to aircraft, airports and air navigation systems that have taken place outside Canada, and which, by operation of section 7(2) and section 83.01(1)(a) of the Code, constitute 'terrorist activity' (clause 2);

introduce new terrorism offences to Part II.1 of the Code prohibiting individuals from leaving or attempting to leave Canada for the purpose of committing certain terrorism offences (clauses 6 to 8);

increases existing penalties under the Code for those who knowingly harbour or conceal individuals who have committed terrorism offences, in certain circumstances (clause 9);

reinstates provisions in the Code allowing for investigative hearings and recognizance with conditions/preventive arrest in relation to terrorist activity (clauses 10 to 13);

amends sections 37 and 38 to 38.16 of the Canada Evidence Act (CEA) in accordance with the Federal Court of Canada’s decision in Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. v. Canada, and in accordance with some, but not all, of the recommendations for change to the CEA made in the March 2007 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security’s Subcommittee on the Review of the Anti-terrorism Act (House of Commons Subcommittee) (clauses 17 to 24);

amends the definition of 'special operational information' found in the Security of Information Act (SOIA), to ensure that the identity of confidential sources currently being used by the government is considered 'special operational information' under that Act (clause 28); and

increases the maximum penalty for the offence of knowingly harbouring or concealing individuals who have committed an offence under the SOIA, in certain circumstances (clause 29)."