C-250 becomes law.Ottawa--On April 28, 2004, the Senate voted 59-11 in approval of adding "sexual orientation" to Canada's 30-year old Hate Crimes Act. The next day the Bill (C-250) was given royal assent and became law. The act bans the incitement in·cite tr.v. in·cit·ed, in·cit·ing, in·cites To provoke and urge on: troublemakers who incite riots; inciting workers to strike. See Synonyms at provoke. of genocide or hatred (by communicating statements in a public place which may lead to a breach of the peace) against an "identifiable group" defined by colour, religion, ethnic origin and now, sexual orientation. The act also says that a person may be held criminally liable if he or she expresses an opinion "in good faith" and based on a "religious subject or religion." The bill was strenuously opposed by religious and prolife groups over a two-year period but supported by the Chretien-Martin Liberals who adopted the private member's bill private member's bill Noun a law proposed by a Member of Parliament who is not a government minister of homosexual NDP NDP New Democratic Party (Canada) NDP National Development Plan (Republic of Ireland) NDP National Development Plan NDP National Democratic Party (Barbados) MP Svend Robinson as a government measure. Objections were threefold: 1. Hate is not defined. What is it? calling somebody names? slapping someone in the face during a quarrel? writing a book objecting to specific activities? 2. Sexual orientation is not defined. Consequently it may provide protection for the preferences of lesbians, "gays," "bisexuals," transvestites; bestiality Bestiality See also Perversion. Asterius Minotaur born to Pasiphaë and Cretan Bull. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 34] Leda raped by Zeus in form of swan. [Gk. Myth. , polygamy polygamy: see marriage. polygamy Marriage to more than one spouse at a time. Although the term may also refer to polyandry (marriage to more than one man), it is often used as a synonym for polygyny (marriage to more than one woman), which appears , group sex, incest; "gay" sex "education," "gay" books, films, video, and theatre; homosexual criminality, sexual abuse of adults, teenagers, children. 3. Legal judgements are not defined. The Charter of 1982 has given rise to "judicial activism" which has allowed judges of all ranks to turn private and ideological hostility to tradition and religion into debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction and restrictive general legal principles threatening both democracy and freedom of religion and speech. Objections to Bill C-250 may be found on the website of the Catholic Civil Rights League: http://ccrl.ca/resources_CCRL CCRL Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory CCRL Catholic Civil Rights League CCRL California Center for Regional Leadership CCRL College and Career Reference Library CCRL Computer Chess Rating Lists _C250 .html/ The Bill was speeded through the Senate with only three days of rushed (8-10-minute) hearings, with many groups and massive public opposition ignored, in order to ensure passage before the calling of an election. The eleven members who voted against Bill C-250 deserve our gratitude for fighting against it as long as they did, especially Senator Anne Cools. |
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