Two Liberal MPs have joined opposition parties in criticizing the government's proposed anti-terrorism measures in Bill C-36. The bill will give police new power to detain suspects without charge and conduct secret investigations. On Monday, Liberal John McKay called the bill ``a deal with the devil,'' and Liberal backbencher Andrew Telegdi voted against his own party's measure to end debate on the bill, Tuesday. Telegdi, who once lived in Hungary, said, ``Being one who lived under a Communist dictatorship I know what human rights and civil liberties mean.'' Government House leader Dan Boudria said, however, that the bill has been opened to debate and scrutinized by the Justice Committee, and that it must pass before Christmas. Meanwhile, a coalition of academics, religious groups, and other associations sent an open letter to Prime Minister Chrétien opposing the bill. The coalition, which includes the Canadian Arab Federation, the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association, the Jesuits of Upper Canada, the Law Union of Ontario and the United Church, claims, ``Many rights that we now take for granted -- due process, full answer and defence, and fundamental justice -- are all threatened by Bill C-36.'' In Dallas Tuesday night, Chrétien responded, ``The same people who were telling us in September that we we're not moving fast enough, they say now that we're moving too fast.''

Report calls for campaign reform