Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge MP Marc Dalton will host a town hall event to discuss a new law he calls a threat to freedom of speech.
Dalton has already presented the House of Commons with a petition signed by more than 11,500 people calling on the Liberal government to stop Bill C9, saying the “Combating Hate Act” will undermine constitutional rights to freedoms of religion, conscience, and even freedom of the press.
Dalton is also hosting an event called the Religious Freedom Town Hall to discuss Bill C-9 and Free Speech on March 18. Those wishing to attend can email marc.dalton@parl.bc.ca to register. The location and time will be emailed to those who register.
The bill is designed to create new ways to fight hate speech or promoting hatred, including making it illegal to intimidate people from attending churches and places of worship, or to physically block them. It will also ban symbols known to be associated with hate or terrorist groups, and prohibits using them to promote hatred against any group.
Dalton said his Conservative Party agrees with much of the bill, but calls it redundant, asserting there are already laws in place to protect people attending a place of worship.
However, he said many groups oppose the new law, saying it could have the unintended effect of limiting free speech.
“They are opening up the door considerably,” he said. “I’m hearing about it a lot – there’s a lot of pushback.”
Dalton said it’s the kind of legislation used by totalitarian governments to quiet opponents.
Canadians need to be able to “speak on issues that are not the narrative of the day, or the narrative of the government in power,” he said. “Freedom to be able to speak is tested on issues where people don’t agree.”
He introduced the petition, which says the new bill has a vague and confusing definition of “hatred,” and threatens freedom of speech and expression. The petition says the Criminal Code already protects Canadians from hate, and the Jewish people from antisemitism.
Supporters counter that it gives police and prosecutors clearer ways to deal with hate-based harassment before it turns violent, and updates the law to match today’s way of life including online and group harassment.
Angie Rowell, who has been the Liberal candidate for MP who ran against Dalton, said this is an issue about two values Canadians care deeply about: freedom of expression and the ability to live free from hate and intimidation.
“People should always feel safe going to their place of worship, attending school, or gathering in their communities without fear,” said Rowell. “At the same time, protecting free speech is one of the fundamental freedoms that defines our country. The challenge with legislation like this is making sure those two principles are protected together.
“Most Canadians, regardless of faith or background simply want to live peacefully and treat each other with respect. While no legislation will ever be perfect, we also can’t ignore the very real harm caused by extremism and organized hate when it takes root in communities,” Rowell added. “Canadians shouldn’t have to choose between protecting free speech and protecting their neighbours from hate, we can and must do both.”
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association said it creates new criminal laws that risk serious and unjustified infringements on Charter-protected fundamental freedoms, including the criminalization of peaceful protest.
“Bill C-9 risks criminalizing peaceful protests near tens of thousands of locations in Canada,” said Anais Bussieres McNicoll of the association. “In doing so, this bill would disproportionately harm the very communities it purports to protect. We urge the government to reverse course on Bill C-9.”