Matthew Behrens

Matthew Behrens is a freelance writer and social justice advocate who coordinates the Homes not Bombs non-violent direct action network. His column "Taking Liberties" examines connections between national security and civil liberties. Behrens has worked closely with the targets of Canadian and U.S. "national security" profiling for many years.

Columnists

Nov 21, 2012

Canadian vets victimized by national security state

Matthew Behrens

While war veterans have never enjoyed the support they required, the gap between "support our troops" rhetoric and the reality of veterans' lives has become increasingly wide in the Harper years.

Columnists

Oct 22, 2012

Canadian Khalid Awan remains stranded after years at U.S. 'Gitmo in the Heartland'

Matthew Behrens

While Omar Khadr returned from Guantanamo Bay this fall, another abandoned Canadian will shortly mark 11 years behind bars, much of that time in an Indiana hellhole known as Little Guantanamo.

Columnists

Sep 20, 2012

Taking Liberties: Canada's growing torture infrastructure

Matthew Behrens

Agencies of the Canadian state, from spies to judges, have wedged open a door to legitimize complicity in a practice that both domestic and international law ban outright.

Columnists

Aug 20, 2012

Canadian War Department drones on with summer splurge

Matthew Behrens

Over the summer, the Canadian War Department has been busy seeking out new enemies and new rationales to shield a $23-billion budget that is unquestioned by all major political parties.

Columnists

Jul 24, 2012

Summer yawn: Indifference meets UN report on Canadian complicity in torture

Matthew Behrens

It's been more than a month, but Canadians in general have been able to go about their daily business despite the United Nations declaration that the federal government is complicit in torture.

Book Review

Jul 12, 2012

Jason Kenney's summer reading: White Canada and the Komagata Maru

Matthew Behrens

As Parliament passes sweeping, repressive immigration legislation, Toronto filmmaker Ali Kazimi's timely book, Undesirables, should be required reading for Jason Kenney and his cohorts.

Columnists

Jun 20, 2012

The $11-million brand: Amid budget cuts, the RCMP splurge on propaganda

Matthew Behrens

While Ottawa engages in deep budget slashing, the feds are annually investing $11.3 million in promoting the Mounties' "brand."

Columnists

May 21, 2012

Perversity and honour: Scenes from a terrorist's election campaign

Matthew Behrens

Guest of honour Barack Obama showed up at George Clooney's cool crash pad fresh from a celebratory touchdown in Kabul where he bragged about "taking out" dozens of alleged national security threats.

Columnists

Apr 26, 2012

Harkat wins new hearing while Appeal Court upholds secret trials law

Matthew Behrens

For Mohamed Harkat, there was a break in the clouds with the April 25 Federal Court of Appeal ruling that his rights had been violated in the security certificate proceedings he underwent in 2009.

Columnists

Apr 23, 2012

Taking Liberties: Revelations in Hassan Diab case highlight major faultlines in extradition process

Matthew Behrens

The multi-year extradition saga of Ottawa university professor Hassan Diab has taken yet another bizarre turn with the news that Diab has not even been formally charged.

Matthew Behrens

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