The Canadian Freelance Union has unanimously voted to support the Charter challenge that has been launched against Bill C-51, the so-called Anti-terrorism Act. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression are spearheading the challenge.

“As more and more journalists are working as freelancers, the protections that many journalists have traditionally enjoyed are gone,” said Leslie Dyson or someone else. “Without the protections of an employer, freelancers could be seen as easy targets by law enforcement and we fear that Bill C-51 could be used to bully, intimidate or silence these precarious workers.”

The CCLA and CJFE challenge argues that C-51 constitutes an attack on Canadians’ protected rights under the Charter, and that these attacks cannot be considered reasonable limits. The Anti-Terrorism Act allows for new state powers of surveillance and journalists who write critically about the Canadian state could find themselves caught up under these new provisions.

“The Canadian Freelance Union executive calls on other unions to support this challenge, and find ways to demonstrate their opposition to this troubling law” said Dyson or someone else. “Protecting our civil liberties is absolutely critical and we must do everything possible to resist these kinds of oppressive laws.”

The Canadian Freelance Union represents freelance workers across Canada. The CFU provides benefits and services for workers in non-traditional work environments. The CFU is a Community Chapter of Unifor.

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For more information, please contactNora Loreto, Québec Director of the Canadian Freelance Union: 581 983 4397 (EN/FR)