MONTREAL — Bloc Québécois MP Carole Freeman tabled a private member’s bill that would specifically prohibit hate-motivated mischief against property used by ethnic or cultural communities.
Bill C-384 proposes that a new offence be added to the existing mischief provision in the Criminal Code that would provide for increased penalties when the mischief is committed against an educational or recreational institution that is used exclusively or principally by an identifiable group.
Places of worship are already covered in this section. For example, perpetrators of vandalism of a synagogue can receive stiffer sentences if courts decide hate was an aggravating factor.
Under the bill, the term “educational institution” would cover a range of institutions or community places, such as schools, day-care centres, colleges, universities, community centres, playgrounds and sports centres.
Freeman, who represents the Montreal South Shore riding of Châteauguay-Saint-Constant, said section 430(1) of the Criminal Code, which makes it an offence to carry out mischief against religious property, is not sufficient to protect identifiable groups against hate crimes.
“Some might be tempted to believe that hate crimes against educational or cultural institutions are infrequent or are committed by only a handful of individuals in a specific area,” Freeman said in the House of Commons.
“But when we read the headlines, we see that more and more acts of violence are targeting schools and community centres.”
She said organizations representing various communities, including Canadian Jewish Congress, have been calling for this change to the Criminal Code for years.
“Promoting hatred against people is denying them a certain value as human beings and denying them the respect and dignity they deserve,” she said.
Members from all parties lauded the bill.
Alberta Conservative Chris Warkentin said the bill should “send a message to all Canadians that we do not tolerate” acts that are directed toward any institutions in Canada that are used by identifiable groups.
Liberal justice critic Marlene Jennings of Montreal congratulated Freeman for “her valiant effort” in bringing the bill before the House.
“The objective of the bill is praiseworthy and necessary, particularly as we approach the fourth anniversary of the bombing of the United Talmud Torahs elementary school in Montreal,” Freeman said.
“Hate attacks against cultural communities in Canada continue… We need to demonstrate that there are serious consequences for hate-driven acts of mischief, and Bill C-384 accomplishes just that.
“Racist, xenophobic or homophobic acts of vandalism represent more than simple mischief. They are traumatic assaults not only on the victims of crime, but on society at large,” she said.
New Democrat Thomas Mulcair, also of Montreal, said, “The purpose of this bill is to improve and update existing provisions of the Criminal Code… What we are doing here is broadening the scope.”