e-1192 (Discrimination)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• In 2017, the Minister of Justice tabled Bill C-51, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act;
• It proposes to remove Section 176 of the Criminal Code Act which would eliminate protection for faith leaders and malicious interference with funerals, rituals, and other assemblies of any faith;
• In May, 2017 parliamentarians unanimously passed Bill C-305, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (mischief), that will give extra protection to a building or structure, that is primarily used for religious worship - including a church, mosque, synagogue, or temple;
• While the Parliament of Canada is strengthening the protection of property through Bill C-305, by eliminating Section 176 of the Criminal Code Act it is weakening the protection for faith leaders and assemblies of people from freely practicing their religion, whatever that religion may be on those same properties;
• According to Statistics Canada, over a third of reported hate crimes in Canada were motivated by hatred of a religion, and thus repealing Section 176 would remove valuable protection for faith leaders and assemblies.