Canada's official Leader of the Opposition says a recent incident in Strathroy should serve as a reminder that the threat of terrorism is everywhere, even in Canada.
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose spoke to reporters during a visit to Chatham-Kent on Tuesday, less than an hour's drive from where RCMP found and killed terror suspect Aaron Driver in Strathroy.
"We've seen homegrown terror in every country where we've seen these kinds of attacks," says Ambrose. "So we are not immune to the threat of terror, whether it's homegrown or it comes from abroad.
Ambrose took the opportunity to stress the importance of Bill C-51 measures during the investigation, commending RCMP and intelligence officials for their work in the incident. Ambrose says the Liberals are now trying to remove some of the investigative "tools" used, which essentially lower the threshold of evidence needed to apprehend terror suspects.
"The peace bond worked, the surveillance worked, our intelligence officers knew who he was," adds Ambrose. "They were able to gather the evidence they needed to secure a peace bond and keep track of this guy. Let's make sure they continue to have those tools."
Ambrose doesn't feel keeping investigative tools will affect privacy or citizen freedoms #ck pic.twitter.com/9ENuuUMVKh
— Jake Kislinsky (@Jake_Kislinsky) August 11, 2016
When asked if other preventative measures should be amped up, including mental health services and early-crime recognition, Ambrose says that is a whole other conversation altogether.
"There's lots of good work going on in communities across Canada, but today I think what our focus is on is that our intelligence officers have the tools they need," says Ambrose.
Ambrose is in Chatham-Kent with Chatham-Kent-Leamington MP Dave Van Kesteren, touring local breweries and wineries to promote domestic trading of beer and wine between provinces.
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