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Libreal Leader Justin Trudeau asksa question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

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By Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau's Liberals will vote in favour of the government's new anti-terrorism bill, despite concerns that it provides no mechanisms to guard against abuse of the new powers it would give security agencies.

If the Conservative government refuses to amend the bill to address those concerns, Trudeau says Liberals will still support it but will fix the flaws should they win the coming election.

"The current government can accept that Canadians want greater oversight and accountability, or it will give us the opportunity to offer that directly to Canadians in the upcoming election campaign," the Liberal leader said Wednesday.

Liberals want the bill amended to provide for parliamentary oversight of security agencies and a mechanism to require mandatory review of the legislation in the years to come.

The bill would give the Canadian Security Intelligence Service more power to thwart suspected terrorists' travel plans, disrupt bank transactions and covertly interfere with radical websites.

It would also make it easier for the RCMP to obtain a peace bond to restrict the movements of suspects and extend the amount of time they can be kept in preventative arrest and detention.

And it would create a new criminal offence: encouraging someone to carry out a terrorist attack.

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Liberals to support anti-terrorism bill

OTTAWA Justin Trudeaus Liberals will vote in favour of the governments new anti-terrorism bill, despite concerns that it provides no mechanisms to guard against abuse of the new powers it would give security agencies.

If the Conservative government refuses to amend the bill to address those concerns, Trudeau says Liberals will still support it but will fix the flaws should they win the coming election.

The current government can accept that Canadians want greater oversight and accountability, or it will give us the opportunity to offer that directly to Canadians in the upcoming election campaign, the Liberal leader said Wednesday.

Liberals want the bill amended to provide for parliamentary oversight of security agencies and a mechanism to require mandatory review of the legislation in the years to come.

The bill would give the Canadian Security Intelligence Service more power to thwart suspected terrorists travel plans, disrupt bank transactions and covertly interfere with radical websites.

It would also make it easier for the RCMP to obtain a peace bond to restrict the movements of suspects and extend the amount of time they can be kept in preventative arrest and detention.

And it would create a new criminal offence: encouraging someone to carry out a terrorist attack.

Trudeau said Liberals welcome measures to build on the powers of preventative arrest, expand the no-fly regime and enhance co-ordinated information sharing among government departments and agencies.

But he added: I believe that when a government asks its citizens to give up even a small portion of their liberty, it is that governments highest responsibility to guarantee that its new powers will not be abused.

It is not enough for a government to say simply, Trust us. That trust must be earned. It must be checked and it must be renewed.

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Federal Liberals back terror bill but seek changes

Malcolm Turnbull meets locals on the Central Coast after a 'Politics in the Pub' forum. Photo: Wolter Peeters

Spooked Liberals in NSW are warning the federal leadership crisis threatens to derail their re-election campaign, as a federal Coalition minister conceded on Thursday that a spill motion against Prime Minister Tony Abbott is now likely.

Trade Minister Andrew Robb also joined the fray warning the government would look like political "amateurs" if rebel MPs force a leadership spill.

Malcolm Turnbull taking questions at the Dam Hotel in Wyong on Thursday night. Photo: Wolter Peeters

But Fairfax Media has learned a number of federal MPs are under pressure from state colleagues to line up behind Malcolm Turnbull and force a change, and to get it done quickly.

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On Thursday night, Mr Abbott said a leadership vote would be a "distraction" and insisted he trusted Mr Turnbull and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop.

Fairfax Media has spoken to four NSW Baird government MPs who have all taken concerns to federal counterparts.

Their concern, fed by state-based polling, is that the "Abbott factor" could cost 10 to 20 seats in March.

That could be restricted to a loss of 5 to10 without Mr Abbott's drag. The extreme unpopularity of the Abbott government was a factor in the wipeouts of the Newman Queensland government and the Napthine fovernment in Victoria.

Excerpt from:
NSW state Liberals urge federal counterparts to replace Tony Abbott

By Luke Malpass, Lisa VisentinFeb. 5, 2015, 1:58 p.m.

When the Labor leadership changed hands from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard in June 2010, the federal Coalition had plenty to say about it on social media, but senior Liberals may now be finding that some of their scathing comments could apply equally to the leadership scrap embroiling them now.

Now: Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Parliament. Photo: Andrew Meares

And then: Then-deputy prime minister Julia Gillard and then-prime minister Kevin Rudd in Parliament in June 2010. Photo: Glen McCurtayne

When the Labor leadership changed hands from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard in June 2010, the federal Coalition had plenty to say about it on social media, but senior Liberals may now be finding that some of their scathing comments could apply equally to the leadership scrap embroiling them now.

One of the key campaign memes used by the Liberal Party in the lead-up to the 2013 elections and after the Coalition victory was the focus on stability and grown-up government.

An indulgent focus on a party's own leadership, changing leaders because of panicked pollsters or disgruntled MPs with petty grievances: none of these were for the Liberal Party when it was in opposition.

But the worm has since turned.

Usefully then for punters, Twitter has given us a record of comments about the leadership ructions made by then-opposition Liberal MPs, including senior members in government.

The now-Minister of Social Services Scott Morrison belled the cat on the first Rudd/Gillard leadership spill, with this comment.

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Liberals' Twitter gibes about Labor's leadership woes come back to bite

The Liberal Party is ready to ignore gaps in Ottawas anti-terrorism bill and vote in its favour, while the NDP plans to put up a fight and could still oppose the proposed legislation.

The two parties were united in opposition to Canadas combat mission in Iraq last year, but they are heading in different directions in regards to Bill C-51, known as the Anti-Terrorism Act (2015).

CP Video Feb. 04 2015, 8:05 PM EST

After a caucus meeting on Wednesday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau announced his party will support plans to beef up the powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP, and to criminalize the promotion of terrorism.

Mr. Trudeau said his priority will be to address the gaps in the bill. In particular, the Liberals will push for parliamentary oversight of Canadas national security agencies, and try to add a sunset clause that would force Parliament to evaluate the legislation before it is periodically re-enacted.

Mr. Trudeau said the Liberal Party will be willing to compromise during the current session of Parliament, and then promise to amend the legislation in its next election platform.

The current government can accept that Canadians want greater oversight and accountability, or it will give us the opportunity to offer that directly to Canadians in the upcoming election campaign, Mr. Trudeau said.

The NDP blasted the Liberals for giving a blank cheque to the Conservative government, which has clearly rejected calls to increase the oversight of Canadas national-security agencies.

The NDP says its still studying the legislation, but a party official said a majority of MPs currently oppose the bill. A final position will be taken next week.

In an interview, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said he does not believe that a new balance between security and rights needs to be achieved. This notion that somehow there has to be this massive tradeoff, I dont believe that, he said. The whole purpose of fighting against terrorism is to make sure that people who want to take away our rights and freedoms arent the ones who wind up winning.

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Liberals to support Conservative anti-terror bill, will address the gaps later