shivas.wisdom said: The Criminal Code doesn't define antisemitism, but the federal government does provide a working definition which begins: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”
This specific law was created in 2022, and I could only find four people charged so far, and only one conviction -- this person pled guilty, so it wasn't necessary for the crown to establish their speech as antisemitic.
I agree that having an undefined criminal term is problematic, but the available evidence doesn't suggest that this is being used to criminalize unpopular opinions, nor that it is being widely used at all. I imagine that, given time, a contested 319(2.1) prosecution is a likely path by which Canada will eventually develop a judicial definition of antisemitism.
Still waiting to see you provide an example of a person jailed in Canada for the crime of "expressing an unpopular opinion".
https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/winnipeg-man-pleads-guilty-to-posting-hate-propaganda-online/
https://www.public.news/p/trudeau-demands-life-in-prison-for
Quote: The Liberal government’s censorship legislation, when considered in the context of Trudeau’s sweeping abuse of governmental powers during and after the Covid pandemic and new subsidies for government propaganda, sets a new watermark in rising totalitarianism in Western societies.
In an unusually long statement in response to a series of questions asked by Public, the Trudeau government’s “Canadian Heritage” department, which regulates the media, tried to ease our concerns. “Bill C-63 is meant to bolster the rights of Canadians to express their thoughts and opinions,” said the anonymous official, “by creating a safer and more inclusive online space.”
But the government spokesperson went on to confirm the shocking truth about the legislation, which is that it would put people in prison for life for things they’ve said, specifically, “advocating genocide.”
“Bill C-63 would increase the maximum penalty specifically for advocating genocide from 5 years to life imprisonment,” said an unnamed spokesperson for the Canadian government, “and from 2 years to 5 years, on indictment, for the willful promotion of hatred (section 319 of the Criminal Code)” [emphasis added]
your government wants to put people in prison for hate speech.
https://www.baytoday.ca/city-police-beat/north-bay-man-sentenced-to-jail-for-holocaust-denial-and-antisemitic-hate-speech-11288875
Quote: In a historic legal decision, a North Bay man has been sentenced to nine months in jail after being found guilty of promoting hatred and denying the Holocaust through dozens of disturbing social media posts and videos promoting hate and violence against the Jewish community.
It marks the first-ever conviction in a Canadian court for Holocaust denial, according to Crown prosecutors.
The conviction was a result of a seven-month-long investigation into a hate crime by the North Bay Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Section.
Kenneth Paulin, 51, was sentenced to nine months in jail and two years of probation on September 18 for the wilful promotion of hate against Jewish people and the wilful promotion of antisemitism by condoning, denying, or downplaying the Holocaust, according to a release from the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC).
jailing elderly people for being anti-semitic online.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/gabriel-sohier-chaput-sentence-appeal-9.7189292
Quote: The case involving Gabriel Sohier-Chaput was heard Wednesday at the Quebec Court of Appeal in Montreal. Sohier-Chaput was not physically present.
Quebec court Judge Manlio Del Negro sentenced Sohier-Chaput in September 2023 to a year and three months in jail followed by three years' probation. The accused appealed both the guilty verdict and the sentence.
15 months in prison for being anti-semitic.
I'd post all of them, but searching Google I've found like 20 people who have been sentenced to over a year in prison for hate speech. in Canada.
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