The Role of the Federal Court in National Security Issues: Balancing the Charter Against Anti-terrorism Measures

I am very pleased to have been invited to the University of Alberta to participate in a collec- tive reflection and debate on “National Security, the Law, and the Federal Courts.” As you are all aware, issues of national security have taken on new life since the inception of the war on terror, but what you may not be aware of is the com- plexities inherent in adjudicating these issues within the context of a democratic and rights- oriented society. I will do my best to give you a sense of the kinds of issues that come before the Federal Court in this regard, and how national security considerations raised therein must be balanced against the rights of citizens.