Foreword

• Author: Craig Forcese
• Profession: Faculty of Law, Common Law. University of Ottawa
• Pages: 25-25

FOR E WOR D

This book on national security law f‌ill s a notable vacuum in Canad ian

legal writing. With no particular par tisan agenda, Professor Craig For-

cese of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law sets out to present an

appropriate and comprehensive description of Canada’s complex sys-

tem of laws, institutions, and policies, post-September 11, 2001.

While more than a ha ndbook or a digest, it should nevertheless

be at the elbow of every Canadian security intelligence off‌icer, law en-

forcement off‌icial, government policy-maker, elected politician, lawyer,

or judge who must deal with national security issues in their profes-

sional life.

The author’s focus is naturally on anti-terrorism and the actions

taken by Canadian government agencies, the courts, and Parliament

which, of necessity, may limit individual freedoms. His work has right-

ly identif‌ied the tension that exists as Canadian institutions and policy-

makers grapple with t he diff‌icult task of striking the right balance.

Not only are the descriptions accurate i n ter ms of Canadian law

and practice, but they are usefully informed by international and com-

parative l aw, the sig n of good scholarship. Where this author on rare

occasions veers into a critique of this area of the law, he is careful to

identify thi s — “to graft cr itical assessment onto description” — as he

describes it in his Preface.

Hopefully, this seminal work will give its readers a foretaste of what

is yet to come from t his up-and-coming Canadian law professor who

understands the rule of law and who has so much to contribute by way

of critical analysi s of serious attempts to promote security while secur-

ing liberty.

Ronald G. Atkey, P.C., Q.C.

Toronto

(f‌irst chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, 1984– 89,

and amicus curia e to the Arar Commis sion, 2004–2007)

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