Terrorism versus liberal democracy: Canadian democracy and the campaign against global terrorism

Abstract

Modern terrorism presents a tremendous threat to states around the world, both authoritarian and democratic. However, states differ as to how they respond to terrorist threat. This article explores the effects of counter‐terrorism on the Canadian domestic arena. The democratic and multicultural nature of Canadian society has raised a number of questions about the capacity of individual rights and group identities to prosper within the confines of counter‐terrorist legislation and actions. During counter‐terrorism campaigns, states impinge more heavily on their citizens and require individuals and groups to cede a degree of their freedoms in order to provide leverage in combating terrorists. The dilemma for democratic states is to respond to terrorism within the domestic framework of constitutional regulations and the rule of law. This dilemma is something that all liberal democratic countries will face as terrorist networks spread internationally and seek to destabilize cherished civic institutions and societies.