Fredericton Peace Coalition

We were a small group of 10 demonstrating in front of Fredericton MP Andy Scott’s office on Friday at noon as part of the national day of action against the proposed security certificate legislation. A media release was sent to the Fredericton/NB media but unfortunately they chose not to cover the story at all. We held 2 banners that read “Stop Secret Trials and Deportations to Torture in Canada” and “Let Laibar Singh Stay”. Our camera batteries didn’t like the cold so we got no photos. Carol Ferguson with the NDP expressed her party’s opposition to the new security certificate legislation and I said a few words on the situation of Laibar Singh in Vancouver. Since we were a somewhat small crowd, we went inside and requested a meeting with our MP to discuss his position on the new security certificate legislation. But he was in Ottawa and not available to speak to us. The office later confirmed a meeting on Friday, February 8th at 2pm. We did mention that the security certificate vote in parliament could occur before that date. His office administrator said they will watch the schedule of votes and if the vote is before February 8th then we will be notified and they will set up a conference call where we can all go to his office and talk to him on the phone in Ottawa. His office also confirmed receipt of the Fredericton Peace Coalition letter sent to him on this issue at the end of December. More Liberal MPs are deciding to vote against it and I think we can convince him to do the same. After our visit to the MP’s office, we passed out flyers on secret trials and Laibar Singh around Fredericton, in cafes, the mall, bus station, etc. Later that evening, we watched Whose Rights, Anyway? Justice for Mohamed Harkat to a crowd at Cinema Politica Fredericton followed by an update on security certificates and Harkat’s situation.