Canadian Politicians Introduce Bill Removing Christianity, Bible as ‘Hate Speech’ Defense
Our neighbors to the North continue to be the Ghosts of Legislative Future if we don’t get our act together. During the first session of the 44th parliament, Bloc Québécois party leader Yves-François Blanchet, introduced a private members bill that would remove religious exceptions to the law that criminalizes hate speech.
If someone is charged with hate speech in Canada, they can defend themselves in court by arguing they were, in good faith, making an argument based on their religious beliefs.
At present, in Canadian Criminal Code, the “religious exemption” in Section 319 states: “No person shall be convicted of a [hate crime] offense… if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text.”
Bill C-367, which is supported by 2/3 of Canadians, would eliminate that defense.
The bill got through the first reading in the House of Commons but then stalled in the parliamentary process, prompting the party to retable the bill, now known as C-373, to jump start the discussion. The bill is currently outside the Order of Precedence, meaning it has yet to be selected for debate, but would surely pass if Justin Trudeau and his government get their hands on it.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Sylvie Bérubé, insisted the bill must be passed, noting “It is quite sad that some people use their position of influence, religious or civil, even impunity conferred to them, to incite violence and hatred…(this bill) is about preserving peace of mind amongst Quebecois and Canadians and all communities that hateful words that incite violence should never be protected by the Criminal Code,”