FSUC Submits Brief to House Justice Committee on Bill C-9

The Free Speech Union of Canada has done a thorough review of the pending Combatting Hate Act, otherwise known as Bill C-9. In our opinion, the Bill should be withdrawn entirely, as an unnecessary and overbroad infringement of free expression in Canada. It lowers the threshold for the definition of “hatred” which will widen the net to capture expression that should enjoy constitutional protection. It also removes an important safeguard that required the Attorney General to approve proceedings for hate crimes. Now, that discretion will be in the hands of police and crown attorneys, leaving Canadians vulnerable to inconsistent application of the law and potential double standards. Furthermore, a ban on certain “hate symbols” is vague and opaque and risks capturing recognized symbols that become associated with listed terror groups, such as historic flags. The government and authorities should be enforcing existing laws that target violence, not looking for ways to criminalize emotions and words. Write to your MP today, and tell them you think Bill C-9 must be withdrawn or voted down.