“This online group called Anonymous that posted the videos hides behind masks
and their claim to anonymity, and it is their threats that clearly attempt to
intimidate me, and in fact all parliamentarians, as we carry out our
democratically elected responsibilities,” Mr. Toews said.
Several MPs on the committee repeatedly asked the Public Safety Minister how
exactly he expected the House of Commons to be made safer from future threats of
a similar nature. New Democrat Chris Charlton told Mr. Toews the YouTube video
could have been posted anywhere as it “wasn’t a hacking job,” nor did it involve
the infiltration of Parliament Hill Internet networks or the BlackBerry server.
Mr. Toews, however, was short on ideas, merely saying he couldn’t direct the
committee on what they should do and suggested they call in experts.
The minister also told the committee he has referred this “criminal matter”
to the RCMP, adding that the threats go beyond the YouTube video but refusing to
elaborate further.
Earlier, House of Commons staff cautioned the committee that tracking down
the source of the YouTube videos
would
be a challenge. That’s because Anonymous, by its very nature, has little
organization and is open to all activists and hackers who have a message to
spread. In spite of the challenge, Mr. Toews maintained the committee has an
obligation to investigate.
Queen's University professor Ned Franks, who also testified before MPs,
argued threats like the Public Safety Minister faces have always existed. “The
unique thing is the anonymity,” the constitutional scholar said.
He also mused that Anonymous made the video in response to Mr. Toews
controversial statement that critics of Bill C-30 can either stand with the
Conservative government or “with the child pornographers.”
Professor Franks said he would be “astonished” if Anonymous had even read the
legislation “without the attention of the original comments made by the
minister.”
Mr. Toews’s personal life was also up for scrutiny when an anonymous Twitter
user published details from divorce papers filed by his ex-wife. A separate
committee has summoned Adam Carroll, the former Liberal staffer who was behind
the Vikileaks30 account. He was initially expected to testify this month, but
postponed
due to unspecified health reasons.
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