Ottawa is set to table a new hate crime bill on Sept. 19 that is expected to make it a criminal offence to intentionally promote hate in public by using “terror” and “hate” symbols.
The new legislation would target symbols of government-designated terror groups and other hate symbols, such as Nazi, Hamas, or Hezbollah flags, that are used to display hatred towards an “identifiable group,” according to media reports citing senior government sources.
The bill will also make it easier for police to pursue charges for “hate propaganda” offences, including the promotion of genocide, by removing the requirement to first seek approval from the attorney general, the reports say. This would allow these incidents to move more quickly through the courts. Additionally, the legislation is expected to define hatred in the Criminal Code….