Canada introduces legislation to combat hate crimes, intimidation, and obstruction

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Sean Fraser, today introduced the Combatting Hate Act. The legislation would amend the Criminal Code to:

• Make it a crime to intimidate and obstruct people from accessing places of worship, as well as schools, community centres and other places primarily used by an identifiable group;

• Make hate motivated crime a specific offence, ensuring such conduct is more clearly denounced and that offenders are held accountable; and

• Make it a crime to wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group by displaying certain terrorism or hate symbols in public.

Guest: Gurbax Saini | Liberal MP Fleetwood-Port Kells