Opposition members demanded Wednesday that Prime Minster Stephen Harper explain why he thought anti-terrorism laws that were scrapped in 2007 are once again necessary.
In an interview with CBC chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge, Harper said he plans to reinstate two anti-terrorism laws. One allowed police to arrest suspects without a warrant and detain them for three days without charges if police believed a terrorist act may have been committed.
The other allowed a judge to compel a witness to testify in secret about past associations or pending terrorist acts under penalty of going to jail if the witness didn't comply.
Police and prosecutors used neither law in the five years before they expired.
"We think those measures are necessary. We think they've been useful," Harper said. "And as you know ... they're applied rarely, but there are times where they're needed."
"The prime minister has to explain to us why, if these measures are so important and so necessary, they were not in place for four years," interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said.
"Stephen Harper's plan to reintroduce these draconian provisions simply isn't backed up by the facts," said NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar. "Security is obviously important to Canadians, and we can make Canada secure without resorting to measures like these."
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