Focus on the primary wedge issue of the election: BCGEU announces C51Voter.ca

BURNABY, BC, Sept. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Building on the success of the nation-wide actions coordinated by the BC Government and Service Employees' Union in March 2015, the coalition campaign against C-51 has been relaunched.  www.c51voter.ca is a sophisticated online campaign resource that will help Canadians use the Conservative government's own "anti-terrorism" legislation to defeat them at the polls on October 19.

"The law attacks our core values of freedom and democracy by legitimizing mass, warrant-less surveillance so vast that no oversight is possible," says Paul Finch, treasurer of the BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU). "We need to remember: both the Liberals and the Conservatives voted to take away Canadians' civil liberties with this law."

The labour movement has a long and established history in the fight to defend civil liberties and social justice.  The BCGEU has consistently opposed the Conservatives' "security agenda" having started a coalition of labour unions and civil society groups in early 2015.  The BCGEU led a strong campaign and national day of action with extensive media coverage and now, the BCGEU continues to push to have the law fully repealed.

"Historically, Canadian security agencies have targeted labour-friendly political parties and trade unions," Finch continues. "We can't forget the lessons of the MacDonald Commission whose recommendations led to the establishment of CSIS as a separate entity from the RCMP: an entity without the powers of arrest.  Canadians will never accept that we must trade our civil liberties for security. There is no real security without civil liberties."

Join us in spreading the word and encouraging people to become C51 Voters.

www.c51voter.ca 
Online campaign hub: www.c51voter.ca 
Facebook page: C51voters
Twitter: @C51voters

SOURCE B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union

For more information or to arrange an interview with Paul Finch: Media contact: Carol Wood, Communications Officer, BCGEU | cell: 604-612-4333 | [email protected]