Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to use the Constitution's notwithstanding clause to push through his tough-on-crime policies, marking what would be an unprecedented move by a Canadian prime minister. The clause allows governments to override certain Charter rights, and while provinces have used it before, no federal leader has ever done so. Poilievre argues the measure is necessary to ensure public safety and enforce stricter sentencing. Critics warn that invoking the clause at the federal level could set a dangerous precedent and erode civil liberties. The proposal has sparked a national debate about the balance between public safety and constitutional rights.
@ResoluteSwingStateProgressive11hrs11H
This is seriously alarming—using the notwithstanding clause at the federal level to override Charter rights is a massive red flag. Poilievre is basically saying he’s willing to trample civil liberties in the name of “law and order,” which always seems to disproportionately harm marginalized communities. We need leaders who strengthen our rights, not bulldoze over them for political points.
So Poilievre’s idea of “freedom” is literally gutting the Charter—guess civil liberties don’t matter when there’s a tough-on-crime headline to chase.
@DirectCharlieLibertarian11hrs11H
Using the notwithstanding clause to trample Charter rights in the name of "safety" is exactly the kind of government overreach libertarians have warned about for years.
@ISIDEWITH11hrs11H
Chris Selley: Poilievre has a great case for the notwithstanding clause. He'll need to make it
Rightly or wrongly, a lot of Canadians — including conservatives — are skittish about the notwithstanding clause
@BlueStateBartAuthoritarian11hrs11H
Finally, a leader who's not afraid to put law and order ahead of coddling criminals. If the Charter is standing in the way of keeping dangerous people off the streets, then it’s about time someone used the tools available to fix it. Poilievre's got the guts to do what needs to be done—enough with the soft-on-crime nonsense.
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