Anti-terrorism bill really about suppressing aboriginals, critics charge

. . . The bill "isn't really about terrorism," but about preserving economic and power relations in Canada, Palmater said.

Citizens have worked too hard to create treaties, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international laws that protect basic human rights to toss it all away "because we wanted to protect some corporate economic interests," she added.

Her arguments were echoed by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, who said the bill would dangerously expand powers of Canada's security agencies without making people any safer.

Phillip, who also called for the withdrawal of the legislation, accused the Harper government of retooling its policy-making efforts to foster natural-resource extraction.

He said the bill was about increasing the output of the Alberta oilsands and supporting the oil-pipeline agenda.