Acting for freedom : fifty years of civil liberties in Canada

Summary: The Canadian Civil Liberties Association, CCLA, has been Canada’s leading national organization dedicated to the defense of rights and freedoms for the last fifty years. From life-and-death matters such as abortion and the death penalty, to free speech and censorship, to public security vs. the right to privacy, the CCLA is the watchdog for our fundamental freedoms. CCLA’s battles often begin with an indignity against one person. Should a schoolgirl be forced to choose between wearing a political T-shirt or leaving the classroom? Why can’t a dark-skinned man find a place to stay in a city full of empty apartments? And just as often, CCLA tackles large-scale issues, such as the suspension of citizens’ rights during the October Crisis and how today’s technologies for mass surveillance can make everyone a suspect. For five decades the Canadian Civil Liberties Association has acted to protect the democratic rights of which Canadians are so proud. Despite the hard-won victories of the past, the work is not over. CCLA is confronting new threats to our freedoms every day. This book tells its extraordinary story. --