Freedom of speech and religious freedom are in jeopardy, according to some Conservatives.
Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee MP Scott Anderson says the looming Bill C-9 is cause for concern and he will be discussing it at an Emergency Town Hall.
The event at the Schubert Centre Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m., is with Ontario MP Andrew Lawton, who has been actively working on Bill C-9 and proposed amendments.
The Department of Justice states Bill C-9 is an act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places).
The main Charter-protected rights and freedoms potentially engaged by the proposed measures include: Freedom of religion, Freedom of expression, Freedom of peaceful assembly, Right to liberty, Right against unreasonable search or seizure and Right not to be denied reasonable bail without just cause.
“Bill C-9 would amend the Criminal Code to propose new offences to better protect access to religious, cultural and other specified places, and to address hate-motivated crimes,” the Charter Considerations reads. “The proposed amendments in the Bill would create four new criminal offences: (1) an intimidation offence that prohibits conduct that is intended to provoke a state of fear in another person to impede them from accessing religious or cultural institutions and other specified places; (2) an offence that prohibits the intentional obstruction of a person’s lawful access to such places; (3) a hate crime offence to more explicitly denounce hate-motivated crime; and (4) an offence that prohibits wilfully promoting hatred against any identifiable group by displaying, in any public place, certain hate or terrorist symbols.”
Anderson and Lawton have serious concerns about it.
“This Liberal bill could pose serious penalties, including up to two years in jail, for expressing certain religious beliefs or even quoting passages of scripture that the government claims as hateful,” the Eventbrite event listing reads, where residents can sign up for free tickets.
“I encourage anyone who wants to better understand this legislation and it’s potential impacts to attend,” said Anderson.
“Over the past month, I have heard from a large number of constituents with concerns about Bill C-9.”
One such concern was penned in a Letter to the Editor in The Morning Star by Garry Rayner recently.
“The bill is not one designed to protect a democratic society,” Rayner wrote.
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