Updated: Sun Jan. 29 2012 18:49:04

CTVNews.ca Staff

An umbrella organization representing activist groups is launching a public campaign against Canada's security agency, accusing it of harassing and threatening its members.

The People's Commission Network says it has the support of nearly 70 collectives, federations and unions and wants its members to stop co-operating with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

The group launched the campaign at a Montreal news conference Sunday afternoon.

Dolores Chew, who works with a South Asian women's organization in Montreal, says many members of the People's Commission have been visited by agents at their homes.

Chew accused CSIS of trying to take advantage of already vulnerable new female immigrants.

The security agency has recently gone after anti-capitalists, First Nations and student groups, the People's Commission alleges.

The group is urging its members to avoid CSIS agents if they approach them.

"CSIS plays a quiet but key role in creating a climate of fear and suspicion that legitimizes racism, the repression of dissent and increases in state power," the group states on its website.

With files from The Canadian Press

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RAYMOND
Lets get rid of this "gestapo" once and for all!!!

Better Judgement
It seems to me that the fear and its propagation is entirely the work of the "activists." Active in what precisely? Promoting fear that's what.
Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear. Those who are "alarmed" at the "Government taking control of our lives" well guess what; except for our personal freedom to speak and act as we wish under the law, the government does control our lives because successive Liberal Governments have taken that control in response to the constant demands of the left wing to do so. Cradle to Grave socialism is now the norm in this country so that the activists can avoid work and rely on those who really contribute to society to support them and their "activities" none of which contribute one iota to public well-being.

PBW
If government departments and operatives should be open to public scrutiny, so should every other group in the nation. That makes for equality. Any organization that is not up to no good has nothing to fear. As for this organization of organizations, by all means don't co-operate, it's your right until you break the law. If breaking the law is your objective, just don't operate if you wish to remain free of scrutiny; and if you do operate and get caught conspiring to blow up parliament or whatever, don't complain when you are caught.

JoanneJ
This what these agencies do. Keep us in fear so they can control us. I am no left winger but I too can see CSIS with the backing of the government doing their very best to control us, to not allow us independant thought. Fear mongering is the greatet controller out there . There is no great conspiracy but a solid plan laid out for us to follow so this government can control every aspect of our lives.

E.
Wow. The left is really starting to sound like it's collectively going off the deep end. It has become painfully evident that the left has lost all credibility and their idea of how the world "should be" is a failure (see Europe). Time to shut up and let people do their jobs, some of us believe in productivity.

Allan - Angus, ON
What I love about these "conspiracy theories" is the many moving parts involved (hundreds, if not thousands of people that would have knowledge of this; so many things that could possibly go wrong during the execution of the plan, that they would have to have Plan A, Plan B up to Plan Z likely, and anybody who knows these things know that that is destined to fail, and KISS is the simplest way (keep it simple, stupid) and no plan survives "first contact", so basically impossible to execute something so sinister and complex). Yet these same governments can't do something relatively simple like plan a budget without 18 brazillion leaks to the press, and everybody falling all over themselves to blame somebody else for the fiasco.These conspiracy theories are always a string of coincidences and bizarre facts (or facts stretched to the breaking point), but people still cling onto them, just because they can't believe the obvious: in this case, some crazed fundamentalists wanted to attack the US, and if the government at the time took advantage of it (a stretch even at that, due to my points above) well that is something different isn't it?

Big Bob in Ottawa
CSIS has always tried to create a climate of fear it's their mandate. Agree with it or not it's the reason they exist to be a paranoid McCarthy era bureaucracy. It's because the right embrace this branch of government so tightly that the majority of Canadians feel vulnerable. With Harper in the White House, who's watching the watchers? It is worse under a conservative government for those that oppose it, CSIS is used to further their own conservative ends. Liberals do it too but today we have conservatives in power and they are far more likely to take advantage of the whole security issue to further their own agenda.

Prof. Pye Chartt
@ Sue E: Espousing a ludicrous conspiracy theory which pits a religious U.S. President as the murderer of his own people -- those he swore on the Bible to protect -- doesn't put you in a positive position to lecture about the wiring of certain political brains. Keep that tinfoil hat on (it's windy today), and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

dante
@Mark, this is not a left vs right situation. MIddle of the road politically minded people also weigh in on this debate. Security is important but accountability for any governmental or policing organization should stand on foundations and principles that honor our society. If there seems to be foul play or intrusive and suspect behaviour on officials, accountability is mandatory. Justice for all. Freedom is gained by responsibility. I think it appauling that the only moniker for those leveling these charges is, "Activists".. Come on that means nothing. Activists on what issues exactly? What changes do they stand for?

mike
Where do these left wing radicals get their funding? Probably from the same countries that the law enforcement is looking into.If you lefties have nothing to hide then why would you be worried what this organization is doing. I feel comfortable knowing that they are protecting my family from you left wing radicals. Why dont you lefties get a real job or is hard work to good for you.

NS
WOW, Left wing loonies unite! I think if they took a little less drugs they may be able to focus on legitimate issues to protest, like the cutting back of OAS and injured veteran pensions, the need for more doctors in Canada, the need for cheaper education and the need for more secure borders.

Leroy_Jethro_Gibbs
I really don't know what to say, except maybe get off the drugs, people?

Bob in Chatham
The actions of some security and police officials is regrettable, but the fact that they are never held responsible for the injuries they cause is unacceptable .

Mark
You know the 'Left' never ceases to amaze me with monumental amount of naivte with respect to how the world works. The unions and lefties out there are either completely daft or simply are stupid if they think for a moment that CSIS is 'unfair'. Of course it's unfair. CSIS by definition has to fight unfairly and use every trick in the book to protect CANADA from those outside who would do us harm. In case these Lefties have forgotten.... remember "The Toronto 18"? They wanted to blow-up the Stock Exchange. Do these Lefties think that would have been a better idea? Canada needs a strong defense, a strong military and we must be prepared to do what it takes to protect ourselves. If the sensibilities of the hippies left over from Woodstock and their ilk feel more comfortable in oh... the Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Saudi Arabia I would be only too happy for them to leave.

Will
Idiots. The usual mantra of fools using "activism" to cry about "big brother" seeking to oppress them.

Sue E
Studies show that the right-wing thinking persons brain is wired to fear. Harper's neo-con reformers are almost as far right as the US tea baggers so what do you expect. Same as the US, take the time to watch, loose change, after watching loose change I'm convinced that 911 was planned & carried out by George Bush's government to instill fear into the American people all in the name of re-election.