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[ManDudeChild]

Oh Canada! Our... Oh crap...

The Strategic Counsel poll, conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail, found that 81 per cent of Canadians are in favour of "deporting or jailing anyone who publicly supports terrorist bombers."

The poll also found that Canadians are in favour of tough security measures.

Of those surveyed, 72 per cent support having video cameras in all public places, while 62 per cent believe we should provide the United States with "any information they request about Canadian citizens who they suspect of being terrorists."

When asked whether they supported detaining suspected terrorists without trial, 46 per cent said they strongly or womewhat supported the measure. Another 45 per cent strongly or somewhat supported the government sending agents to infiltrate the Muslim community.

However, only 39 per cent were in support of severely restricting the numbers of immigrants allowed into Canada from Muslim countries.

The survey was conducted between Aug. 3 and 7, or about two weeks since the last attempted bombing of the London transit system. Pollsters interviewed 1,000 people, making for a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

When asked: How well is Canada prepared to deal with a terrorist attack, only 24 per cent of respondents said this nation is well prepared or very well prepared, and 62 per cent think such an attack is at least somewhat likely within the next few years.

But if the government has erred, only 10 per cent think there has been too much emphasis on combating terrorism, while 25 per cent say there's been too much emphasis on protecting civil rights.

Overall, this story doesn't give me a good feeling. If the poll can reflect what the large populace of Canada thinks (and it may or may not, I don't know), I think we're just as paranoid as another group (not naming names). Now I agree to an extent with many of the things in the report and thoughts, but each has a flip side, that leads down a slippery slope of paranoia, one I can see us sliding down easily if we ever have a direct terrorist attack.

One bit that particularly bothers me (once again, I support the reasoning of the respondants on a base level, but can see some bad outcomes from them), is the bit stating that 62% believe we should give the U.S. any information they request on Canadian citizens they suspect of terrorism. I mean I'm all for a safer world, but with the lack of trial in the U.S., and the bullshit a few months ago with Maher Arar ... well I just don't trust them not to misuse the information of just flat out bullshit.