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Vic
Toews, MP
Provencher
Canadian
Alliance Justice Critic
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Press
Release
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 November, 2002
CA Critic Continues Opposition to Bill C-250
Toews Calling on Provincial Ministers to clarify
their positions
OTTAWA - In an open letter today, Canadian Alliance
Justice Critic Vic Toews asked all provincial and
territorial Attorneys General and Justice Ministers
to make clear their positions on Bill C-250 (formerly
C-415). The bill, sponsored by NDP MP Svend Robinson,
proposes to amend the hate propaganda sections of
the Criminal Code to expand the current definition
of protected groups that now include "colour,
race, religion or ethnic origin" to also include
"sexual orientation".
"Federal Government officials have advised
me that they are in support of the bill because
the provincial and territorial Attorneys General,
who are responsible for prosecuting criminal offences,
support the bill," said Toews. "Considering
the negative implications this bill presents to
Canadians, and the thousands of letters that members
of parliament have received from concerned citizens
opposed to the bill, I would like to give provincial
and territorial ministers the opportunity to clarify
their positions."
Toews said that this bill not only creates the possibility
of criminal prosecutions for statements critical
of homosexuality, but it could also be used as a
basis for civil lawsuits or other non-criminal proceedings.
In such cases, the Attorney General would not be
able to intervene.
In the open letter, Toews noted that while he and
his colleagues in the Canadian Alliance oppose advocating
genocide and hatred directed against any group of
people, Bill C-250 is clearly not an appropriate
legislative response: "The constitutional rights
and freedoms of one group of Canadians should not
be bartered away through an ill-conceived proposal
to advance the rights of another group. I would
encourage all Canadians to write to their provincial
or territorial Attorney General, to their local
MP, to the members of the Justice Committee currently
examining the legislation, and to the federal Justice
Minister Martin Cauchon to voice their concerns
on this important issue," concluded Toews.
The Canadian Alliance maintains that while this
bill seeks to protect certain members of society,
it will have negative consequences on the rights
of Canadians to freedom of expression and religion.
It is the Canadian Alliance position that the bill
should be defeated because it will substantially
interfere with the right of religious and educational
leaders to communicate essential matters of faith.
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For
more information, contact Vic Toews, MP
Ottawa office: (613) 992-3128
Steinbach office: 1-866-333-1933
Ottawa
Office:
Room 600, Justice Bldg.
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel: (613) 992-3128
Fax: (613) 995-1049 |
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Constituency Office:
P.O. Box 2470
Steinbach, MB
R0A 2A0
Tel: 204-326-9889
Fax: 204-346-9874
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