As Soon As they Tell You You’ve Nothing To Fear –
– be afraid.
Police will be given new powers to eavesdrop on Internet-based communications as part of a contentious government bill, to be announced Thursday, which Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan has said is needed to modernize surveillance laws crafted during “the era of the rotary phone.”
I can already hear the Society for the Advancement of Stephen Harper chanting the “if you’ve nothing to hide you’ve nothing to fear” mantra.
– do you remember when Conservatism used to include valuing individual privacy?
[ h/t Jacks Newswatch ]
“– do you remember when Conservatism used to include valuing individual privacy?”
Actually, no, I don’t. It must have been a very long time ago. The “nothing to fear if you’ve nothing to hide” mantra is much more familiar. I am reminded of it about 3 times a month at airport security.
I really don’t think individual privacy has been a big slogan for conservatives in general. It certainly hasn’t been for social conservatives. It would apply to libertarians I suppose, but they are not necessarily of the conservative mind set.
Even though most politicians and police are honest and don’t cheat, given the opportunity a few will. If the corrupt cheaters have advantage over the upright and honest, soon everyone will feel lot of pressure to play the game to win, even if that means letting their integrity slip.
We simply cannot give politicians and police this kind of unrestrained power. There also needs to be an independent anti corrupt investigation council that reports to an independently selected supreme court. The independence of the judicially selection is another thing removed by the Conservatives.
Just as the police say the honest have nothing to hide. Honest politicians and police don’t remove tools which can prevent political and judicial corruption.