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Tag: Vic Toews

  • Anonymous Threatens Vic Toews Again

    The war between Vic Toews and Anonymous over Bill C-30 isn’t over just yet, even if the bill was put on hold for the time being.

    Anonymous posted a new video today calling attention to a report from CBC News detailing the story of a former Liberal Research Bureau employee who used Twitter to attack Vic Toews. The Twitter handle was called Vikileaks and it was used to leak potentially embarrassing information on Toews, the creator of Bill C-30.

    It seems that the creator of Vikileaks has now been called before a Parliamentary ethics committee over “his use of House of Commons resources in order to conceal his anonymous public attacks on a Member of Parliament.”

    The original Vikileaks account was taken down, but four more have sprung up including @VikileaksMirror. The account is being used to save all the tweets made by the original account.

    In response, Anonymous have started a new campaign targeting Vic Toews and what they say is his and the Canadian government’s attempt to silence protest through social media. In retaliation, Anonymous is asking people to send them any incriminating information they may have on Toews.

    In what may be a more interesting development, Anonymous says that they will release some new information on Toews in 24 hours. The video was posted yesterday so we’ll see if they follow through on their threat today.

    This isn’t the first time Anonymous has gotten involved with the Bill C-30 protests. When the bill was first introduced, Anonymous started a campaign that would seek to reveal all incriminating information on Toews. He responded by saying that any information Anonymous could possibly have on him was already in the pubilc domain, including his widely publicized divorce.

    We’ll update this story if Anonymous follows through on their threat. Until then, here’s the new video explaining the current situation:

  • Canadian Anti-Privacy Bill Delayed After Public Outcry

    We reported a few weeks ago on Bill C-30, a Canadian bill introduced that would essentially allow the state to spy on Internet users.

    The EFF is reporting that the bill is now on pause after an enormous public outcry from its citizens. The protests consisted of the usual antics that were used during the SOPA/PIPA protests in the U.S.

    One of the more interesting protest movements being a Twitter hashtag – #tellviceverything. In essence, it poked fun at the state’s desire to monitor their online lives but confessing everything to the man behind the bill – Vic Toews.

    C-30 has drawn the ire of those opposed to Toews, but other organizations find problems with the legislation as well. Over 115,000 Canadians have shown their disapproval of the bill as well with an online petition.

    Of course, Vic Toews is not one to stand down. The bill was being pushed through as a way to protect children from online predators, as is the case with the United States own online snooping bill. Toews even went so far as to rename C-30 to the “Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.” It was found, however, that the government wants the surveillance power for “non-criminal investigations.”

    The politicians wanting to pass this bill have the majority so they can take their time. They’re probably hoping for people to forget about the issue and move on.

    Any concerned Canadian can sign the petition linked above or send a letter to their MP.

  • Anonymous Threatens Vic Toews Over C-30

    Anonymous seems to pick a lot of targets these days that they feel are deserving of their unique brand of Internet vigilantism. Their latest target – Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.

    We reported last Tuesday that Toews introduced C-30 – a bill that would require ISPs to collect information on citizens that would be accessible by the authorities at any time. Toews caused a small amount of controversy when he said that those against the bill were in support of child pornography. Well, Toews has rattled the Internet and it’s itching for a fight.

    Over the weekend, two videos were released from Anonymous that directly targeted Toews in regards to the online privacy bill. The longer video is the usual Anonymous threat video that features the usual rhetoric of the Internet fighting back, etc. The second, shorter video is far more interesting, however, as it directly targets Toews and demands that he step down as Public Safety Minister.

    The video calls the attack “Operation White North” and Anonymous claims to have dirt on Vic Toews that they will reveal unless he complies with their demands.

    Toews has been made aware of the apparent threat and sent a message regarding it to his constituents over the weekend according to CTV. He said that the threats have been “referred to the police for investigation.”

    He said that “personal attacks, criminal acts and threats of future criminal acts against me” won’t stop him from fulfilling his parliamentary duties. He also said that any further threats against him and his family will be referred to the police.

    CTV spoke to a person close to the minister and they said that Toews isn’t concerned whatsoever over the threats. He considers the video a “political threat.” He’s more concerned over the potential security threat the group poses.

    Many believe the threats against Toews are in relation to his divorce. For our readers who don’t follow Canadian politics, Toews divorced his wife of 30 years after it was found that he fathered a child out of wedlock with a woman that was believed to be his child’s babysitter.

    Toews addressed this in his statement by saying that any information they could possibly have is already publicly available.

    It seems that Toews is ready to move forward with C-30. Now it’s up to Anonymous to play their hand.

    This will end in one of two ways – either Anonymous will reveal something terrible on Toews that could damage his career or it will end up being nothing. We’ll just have to wait and see.

  • Canadian Anti-Privacy Bill Is Just Like H.R. 1981

    Canadian Conservatives are trying to push through a new network monitoring bill and anybody who opposes such a blatant attack on privacy are said to be supporters of child pornography.

    The Globe and Mail reports that Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is set to introduce Lawful Access legislation into the House of Commons today. Now that the Conservatives have the majority, the bill is certain to pass.

    The bill will require ISPs to collect information on their customers and make all of their activity available to the government and police.

    Understandably, the bill would require police to obtain a warrant to view Internet activity of anybody suspected of a crime. The bill, however, does not require a warrant for the police to view IP addresses, email addresses, mobile phone numbers and other information.

    Many people in watchdog privacy groups are calling it “surveillance by design.” Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia attacked the bill for “preparing to read Canadians’ emails and track their movements through cellphone signals.”

    Toew was waiting for such an accusation and used the opportunity to bring out the all powerful “We must protect the children” card:

    “As technology evolves, many criminal activities, such as the distribution of child pornography, become much easier.“We are proposing to bring measures to bring our laws into the 21st century and to provide police with the lawful tools that they need. He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”

    This is apparently not the first time the Conservative politicians have played the “child porn” card as they said former PM Paul Martin supported child pornography by not being tougher on crime. The attacks on liberals is apparently what led to a last minute victory for them in 2004. Unfortunately, there is no such election on the horizon for Toews can keep on saying whatever he wants.

    I think we can all agree that protecting children is important, but equating a right to privacy to enabling child pornography is absolutely ridiculous.

    We’ll keep you updated on the bill as it’s very similar to Lamar Smith’s “turd wrapped in cotton candy.”