Summary
"The second focus group study builds on the qualitative study carried out in the first phase of the
research which involved examining the views of visible minority groups in Canada. The purpose
of this second study was to obtain the views and examine the attitudes of the larger spectrum of
the Canadian population with regard to the legislation, its specific provisions, and its potential
impact on their personal and community lives.
Although both focus group studies form part of the research undertaken on the Anti-terrorism
Act, the results of the two studies are not directly compared in this report.
While the main purpose of this study was to obtain the views of the Canadian public on the Act
and some of its key components, it also sought to gain insight as to why such viewpoints were
held. More specifically, the following four issues were to be explored:
1) awareness of Canadian anti-terrorism legislation and Government of Canada actions
since 9/11;
2) awareness of, and attitudes towards, the Act in general, and some particular provisions;
3) perceived impact of the Act on people's personal lives; and
4) interest in further information about the Act in general and about certain aspects."--Page 5.
Contents
1. Executive summary -- 2. Introduction -- 2.1. Background, purpose and objectives -- 2.2. Methodology -- 3. Detailed findings -- 3.1. Perspectives on terrorism -- 3.1.1. Awareness of pre-9/11 terrorists incidents in Canada -- 3.1.2. Awareness of terrorist Incidents outside Canada post-9/11 -- 3.1.3. Likelihood of a terrorist attack in Canada -- 3.2. Legislative awareness -- 3.2.1. The Canadian Anti-terrorism Act -- 3.2.2. Prior Criminal Code terrorism provisions -- 3.2.3. Post-9/11 public security measures -- 3.3. Reactions to the Anti-terrorism Act -- 3.3.1. Overview of the Anti-terrorism Act -- 3.3.2. Definition of a terrorist activity -- 3.3.3. Listing of terrorist entities -- 3.3.4. Financing of terrorism -- 3.3.5. New investigative and preventive arrest powers -- 3.3.6. Mechanisms associated with investigative and preventive arrest powers --
3.4. Impact of the anti-terrorism legislation --
3.4.1. Perceived impact --
3.4.2. Feelings on safety and security --
3.5. Concluding comments --
3.5.1. Possible influences on participant attitudes --
3.5.2. In conclusion -- Appendix A.
Screener -- Appendix B.
Discussion guide -- Appendix C.
Handout materials -- Appendix D.
Participant profiles.