Justice Minister Sean Fraser has tabled the government’s new hate crime legislation, which aims to add four new criminal offences to the Criminal Code.
“It is disheartening when you read the news and see, day after day, stories about yet another victim suffering a hate crime at the hands of someone who is not simply conducting a criminal activity, but who’s motivated by their hatred towards an entire group of people,” Fraser said at a Sept. 19 press conference discussing the new bill.
Bill C-9, also known as the Combatting Hate Act, will create four new criminal offences, Fraser said. The first two offences are for the new crimes of obstructing or intimidating those who seek to use faith-based institutions, such as synagogues, mosques, churches, and temples, as well as schools, community centres, or other facilities designated for specific groups….