Prime Minister Stephen Harper will unveil new anti-terrorism laws aimed at cracking down on homegrown extremism, CTV News has learned.

Harper will unveil the new measures during an event outside Toronto on Friday, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported.

According to sources, the proposed laws would:

  • allow police to detain a suspected terrorist without charges for a longer period of time.
  • make it a crime to promote terrorism, including online.
  • make it easier to stop suspected jihadists from boarding flights.
  • make it easier to track and monitor terror suspects.
  • permit the sharing of private or commercial information among federal departments.
  • launch a new campaign to fight radicalization.

Another measure called “extremist disruption orders” is a new legal power to allow, for example, CSIS to tamper with a suspect’s car or to stop them from communicating online, Fife reported.

The federal government has promised to unveil new anti-terrorism laws amidst growing concerns about homegrown terrorists who travel overseas to train and fight with militant groups and may return to plan attacks in Canada.

The prime minister hopes that the proposed measures will appeal to voters ahead of an election later this year.

However, critics have worried that Harper may go too far with the laws, and trample on civil rights and free speech.