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CANADIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST ADDING 'SEXUAL ORIENTATION' TO HATE CRIME LAW

Provincial Attorneys General Called to Clarify Positions on Bill C-250

OTTAWA, November 22, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an open letter today, Canadian Alliance Justice Critic Vic Toews asked all provincial and territorial Attorneys General and Justice Ministers to make clear their positions on Bill C-250 (formerly C-415). The bill, sponsored by homosexual activist NDP MP Svend Robinson, proposes to amend the hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code to add "sexual orientation" to the current definition of protected groups that now includes "colour, race, religion or ethnic origin".

"Federal Government officials have advised me that they are in support of the bill because the provincial and territorial Attorneys General, who are responsible for prosecuting criminal offences, support the bill," said Toews. "Considering the negative implications this bill presents to Canadians, and the thousands of letters that members of parliament have received from concerned citizens opposed to the bill, I would like to give provincial and territorial ministers the opportunity to clarify their positions."

Toews said that this bill not only creates the possibility of criminal prosecutions for statements critical of homosexuality, but it could also be used as a basis for civil lawsuits or other non-criminal proceedings. In such cases, the Attorney General would not be able to intervene.

In the open letter, Toews noted that while he and his colleagues in the Canadian Alliance oppose advocating genocide and hatred directed against any group of people, Bill C-250 is clearly not an appropriate legislative response: "The constitutional rights and freedoms of one group of Canadians should not be bartered away through an ill-conceived proposal to advance the rights of another group. I would encourage all Canadians to write to their provincial or territorial Attorney General, to their local MP, to the members of the Justice Committee currently examining the legislation, and to the federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon to voice their concerns on this important issue," concluded Toews.

The Canadian Alliance maintains that while this bill seeks to protect certain members of society, it will have negative consequences on the rights of Canadians to freedom of expression and religion. It is the Canadian Alliance position that the bill should be defeated because it will substantially interfere with the right of religious and educational leaders to communicate essential matters of faith.

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