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In Canada, coinciding with federal budget day, activists criticize that the spying agency will be housed in the “most expensive government building ever built” using a budget that’s more than doubled in the last decade, while essential services face cutbacks.
Ottawa (11 Feb. 2014) – The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is joining a broad international coalition of activist groups, companies, and online platforms on a worldwide day in opposition to the internet spying. The day is raising concerns about mass surveillance practices of organizations like the US' National Security Agency and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC).
The Day We Fight Back
Dubbed "The Day We Fight Back", the day of activism was announced on the eve of the anniversary of the tragic passing of US activist and technologist Aaron Swartz. The protest is both in his honor and in celebration of the victory two year ago over the Stop Online Piracy Act.
David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress, which he co-founded with Swartz, said, "Today the greatest threat to a free Internet, and broader free society, is the National Security Agency's mass spying regime. If Aaron were alive he'd be on the front lines, fighting back against these practices that undermine our ability to engage with each other as genuinely free human beings."
According to Roy Singham, Chairman of the global technology company ThoughtWorks, where Aaron was working up until the time of his passing. "Aaron showed us that being a technologist in the 21st century means taking action to prevent technology from being turned against the public interest. The time is now for the global tribe of technologists to rise up together and defeat mass surveillance," said Singham.
Revelations of surveillance in Canada
New documents have revealed that government spy agency CSEC is collecting hugely sensitive information and monitoring the movements of thousands of law-abiding Canadians. The government will not provide the details but this spying activity could include you.
So far it is known that CSEC has:
- spied on innocent air travellers at Canadian airports
- spied on important friends and allies
- helped U.S. spies run a massive surveillance operation on Canadian soil
Budget day
Furthermore, Canadians are on the hook for a staggering $4.2 billion to build and operate a new government “spy palace." Those spying on law-abiding Canadians will be housed in the “most expensive government building ever built” using a budget that’s more than doubled in the last decade, while essential services face cutbacks.
February 11, 2014 is also budget day in Ottawa and activists want Members of Parliament (MP) to hear from Canadians opposing wasteful and invasive spying on our private lives. OpenMedia has created a easy-to-use tool to tell your local MP exactly where you stand (click here).
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NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE