Located in Bath, Ont., the Kingston Immigration Holding Centre opened on April 24, 2006 to detain individuals suspected of terrorist activity by the Canada Border Services Agency. Many people have been under custody without warrant or charge, leading to the Centre being dubbed "Guantanamo North" for acts that critics say violate the rights and freedoms of individuals.
On Feb. 17, numerous organizations and community groups banded together to protest the proliferation of the KIHC and rallied to close the Centre. The primary organization behind the rally, the Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui, also wished to abolish all security certificates and demanded the release of anyone under a security certificate, the end of all proceedings to deport five individuals currently under a security certificate and the end of all deportations that would lead to torture of any individual.
"We have been working with the family of Mr. Charkaoui since his arrest under a certificate in May 2003," said coalition member Mary Foster. "It is part of a long-term campaign to obtain justice for the victims of security certificates and to get rid of the legislation which legitimizes the abuse of non-citizens in this way."
The Quebec Public Interest Research Group at McGill University was one of the many groups that supported the rally. However, it is uncertain of the involvement McGill students may have had in the rally.
"Our board supports the demonstration and its goals," said Leila Pourtavaf, QPIRG coordinator. "I can't be certain about students being directly involved in the organizing, although I imagine some must be."
The rally also commemorated the one-year anniversary of Adil Charkaoui's release from a federal detention centre. However, Charkaoui is still under a security certificate that requires him to be electronically monitored by officials and police and implements a curfew time. Days after the rally, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the use of secret testimony that was used to detain Charkaoui.
Andrew Telegdi, a Liberal MP for the Kitchener-Waterloo riding, was a keynote speakers at the event and a vital force behind the movement to close the KIHC.
"Security certificates contravene the word and spirit of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the part of the constitution that is meant to prevent the reoccurrence of past abuses of civil liberties," Telegdi said. "Canada must never become a country of them and us. The Charter must apply equally to all Canadians all of the time not just some Canadians some of the time."
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