Source: Toronto Star
On January 18, 2006 the Toronto Star ran an opinion piece by Halima Mautbur, human rights co-ordinator for CAIR-CAN, the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations. Mautbur writes, "The issue of no-fly lists is finally registering on the national radar screen. It's an issue that should concern all Canadians, because this snare is catching far more than just the 'usual suspects.' One of Canada's shadiest statistics is the unknown number of citizens who have had their mobility rights curbed by the U.S. no-fly list. Some of the notables include Canada's Defence Minister Bill Graham and NDP MP Pat Martin, both of whom were caught by the now infamously inaccurate American watch list. Most startling about their cases is that neither were flying into the United States at the time — they were flying between Canadian cities. Complaints filed with the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) have also indicated that Canadian airlines are applying the U.S. no-fly list on flights within Canada, not just those landing south of the border. The incidents raise an alarming question: Why are Canadians being restricted by American policies in their own country?"