Canada passes anti-Islamophobia motion

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
This is the first step toward blasphemy laws in Canada.

House of Commons passes anti-Islamophobia motion

cbc.ca/news/politics/m-103-islamophobia-motion-vote-1.4038016

The House of Commons has passed M-103, a non-binding motion condemning Islamophobia and religious discrimination.

All NDP and nearly all Liberal MPs supported the motion, which passed 201-91. The majority of Conservative MPs voted against, with leadership candidate Michael Chong and Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton voting in favour. Mississauga Liberal MP Gagan Sikand and Barrie Conservative MP Alex Nuttall both abstained.

The vote follows months of bitter debate and a series of protests and counter-protests across the country over whether the private member's motion would limit free speech or single out Islam for special treatment in Canadian law.
It had additional symbolic significance in the emotional aftermath of the Jan. 29 mosque shooting in Quebec City, where six Muslim men were killed.

The motion was tabled by Mississauga-Erin Mills Liberal MP Iqra Khalid on Dec. 5, 2016. She spoke to reporters after the motion passed Thursday.

"I'm really happy that the vote today has shown positive support for this motion and I'm really looking forward to the committee taking on this study," she said.

Khalid's motion calls on the government to do three things:
  • Condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.
  • Quell the increasing public climate of hate and fear.
  • Compel the Commons heritage committee to develop a government-wide approach for reducing or eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination, including Islamophobia.
The latter would require the heritage committee to collect data on hate crime reports, conduct needs assessments for affected communities and present findings within eight months.

Liberals rejected an attempt by Saskatchewan Conservative MP David Anderson to remove the word "Islamophobia" from the motion and change the wording to "condemn all forms of systemic racism, religious intolerance and discrimination of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and other religious communities.

Anderson argued Islamophobia was not defined in Khalid's motion, and that its inclusion contributed to widespread confusion and fears about the effect on freedom of speech.

Protesters clash at a demonstration about the anti-Islamophobia motion in Montreal on March 4. There were several protests and counter-protests about M-103 across the country this winter. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

Khalid told reporters she didn't think changing the wording of her motion was the result of broad consultation and changing it wouldn't have led to Conservative support.

"It was a really collaborative effort amongst all Canadians and amongst all parliamentarians and I was not able to find consensus," Khalid said.

"Really, changing the wording of the motion would have watered it down and I think the committee can really look into this if it is an issue."

Anderson, the Conservative who tried to amend the motion, said he didn't see much difference between himself and Khalid on the issue after the vote.

Saskatchewan Conservative MP David Anderson said he's on the same 'wavelength' as the Liberal MP who tabled M-103, despite voting against the motion. (CBC)

"I think that many of us have wanted to have a mature discussion about this for a long time, and I think actually Ms. Khalid and I would be on the exact same wavelength on that issue," Anderson said.

"The committee can do a good job and we can have a discussion about what this means for Canada, the role of Islam in Canada, and it's time we had that discussion and did it on a different level than we have over the last month."

M-103 generated controversy on social media and through online petitions, with some incorrectly suggesting it is a "law" or a "bill" rather than a non-binding motion. Some have raised concerns it would lead to some form of Shariah law in Canada.

The NDP caucus voted in favour of both versions of the motion.

Liberal MP abstains

Gagan Sikand, the Liberal MP who abstained from the vote, said he made the decision based on correspondence with his constituents.

"Since the residents of Mississauga-Streetsville were fairly evenly split, I was of the opinion that abstaining best reflected everyone," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Sikand said he will "always" condemn Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination.

Some MPs, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were not in the House for the vote.

42% of Canadians would vote against, survey suggests
A survey published Thursday by the Angus Reid Institute suggests that 42 per cent of Canadians would vote against the motion, while just 29 per cent would vote in favour of it. About two-thirds of Conservative voters were against M-103, while opinion was more divided among Liberals and New Democrats.

The poll suggests that Canadians have doubts the motion will accomplish anything. A majority of respondents said that the motion would have no real impact. Another 31 per cent felt it was a threat to freedom of speech, while 12 per cent believed it would help "reduce anti-Muslim attitudes and discrimination."

The survey was conducted between March 13 and 17, interviewing 1,511 Canadians adults who were members of an online panel. A probabilistic sample of this size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
 

SkepticCat

Veteran
Joined
Mar 14, 2017
Messages
666
his is the first step toward blasphemy laws in Canada.
Well, it's coming, Thunderian, as we know from the Book.

I think islamophobia is stupid, though, and I resent its most common manifestations. It's stupid, uneducated, and simply casts one as a brute and not an ideal. All peoples understanding just what this NWO represents and where it's headed are ultimately on the same team, IMO, and I hope we can work out our differences - truth is singular, after all. One can reject Islam (I do) but any sort of hateful attitude towards its followers is going to accomplish nothing good. Sadly, it is evident the NWO masterminds have had great success in playing the 'blame the Muslims' card and so many people who can't think very far have fallen into the newest version of the divide-n-conquer setup.

Clearly, as you point out, though, this bill that was passed has nothing to do with this. This is just yet another assault on free speech and thinking. "We'll tell you what to think of Islam."
 

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
The problem with this motion is that it singles out Islamophobia as something special, when we already have protections in the Canadian charter and in the criminal code against hate speech. Meanwhile, an imam in Montreal is preaching that Jews are the most evil of all mankind, and will all be killed.

Another problem with this is the definition of Islamophobia. Is criticism of Islam considered Islamophobic? Who decides? If it's a government official, then where is the separation of church and state? If it's a Muslim, then we may as well just call ourselves an Islamic republic and be done with it.

Christians and a lot of others fought and died for religious freedom in Western countries. Not just freedom of religion, but freedom FROM religion. I don't need my government to decide what is offensive to God, and I certainly don't need it persecuting me for being offensive to Allah.

This is a terrible motion, and another brick in the wall that is being built against Justin Zoolander Castro Trudeau. He will not be elected again.
 

manama

Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
3,827
It is Islamophobia when in a Canadian school just because a few Muslim students asked for free 20 minutes on Friday, the parents of other students say no to it and rip the pages of Quran infront of the students and throw it in the hall and walk over them.
These laws are needed not for the hate filled adults or old people. They are needed for the younger generation. Because when just watching the clip made me cry for hours, I can't fathom what the students present at the time were feeling.
 

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
As offensive as that is to Muslims (and to most Canadians, I imagine) what part of that should be against the law in a secular country, and why?

You say there is a clip. Do you have a link?
 

JoChris

Superstar
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
6,168
This is why I am against all laws of this variety. In Australia 2 pastors were sentenced for hate speech against Muslims after hate speech laws were introduced.

"...In March 2002, the Catch the Fire Ministries, of which the two men are pastors, held a seminar on Islam in Melbourne. Scot, who presented the course, says its aim was to help Christians "understand Islamic beliefs and culture and, after the Sept. 11 attacks, why some Muslims engage in terrorism."

Three Muslims attended the seminar and reported what they heard to the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV). Soon afterward, it brought suit against Scot, Nalliah and Catch the Fire under the state's then-new Racial and Religious Tolerance Act. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled last December that the respondents had "made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct" and made statements "likely to incite a feeling of hatred against Muslims." Last week it ordered the pastors to apologize publicly and banned them from making similar comments anywhere in Australia or online. Nalliah says they will go to jail rather than "compromise the truth...."


http://catchthefire.com.au/articles/home/archive/allfiredupaboutfaith.htm

Secular news opinion on same story:
".....They believe they are being punished for accurately quoting the Koran and Hadiths, Islam's sacred texts — some of the comments the judge found vilifying were direct quotes — and have said they are prepared to go to prison."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/martyrs-and-mischief/2005/06/21/1119321735030.html

There is a BIG difference between death threats or threats of physical violence because of someone's skin colour/ religion AND criticizing/ mocking aspects of someone's beliefs (and therefore hurting their feelings).
Hate speech laws can and WILL be misused as seen above.
 

manama

Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
3,827

Most of the people in favour are saying "Separate religion from school" but the students never asked for it to be made a part of the school. 20 free minutes! just 20 minutes how pathetic you have to be to not give the Muslim students just 20 minutes for just a day so they can be done with their prayer
Its so crazy how the people against are parents of other students.

I do get that its extremely weird that if you say anything against religion youll be punished
that is absurd and should never be made part of the law BUT there is a difference between criticizing and being a complete asshole to someone's right of freedom of religion
I mean there is a limit to how salty you can be just because someone wants 20 minutes to pray to God
 

manama

Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
3,827
Its even more absurd how they are calling it a book of hate and muslims as a group of hate-filled people when they are the ones spewing hatred.
kudos to the woman who was the only person brave enough to stand against these group of retarded parents and protect the rights of students
 

manama

Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
3,827
It shouldnt be singled out obviously they should make all religions or beliefs part of it but i sort of get it why they are taking only islam because right now due to the current events Muslims are the only ones most likely to be attacked for their beliefs etc
I mean they ripped the Quran just because a student wanted 20 free minutes just on Friday. Thats says quite alot. i never saw Muslims having "Burn a bible day or torah day" or "Draw (insert name) day". If people feel comfortable enough to do this in a country as peaceful as Canada, they surely can attack Muslims too just for wearing a headscarf or plainly just calling themselves a muslim and it will happen because if the parents are comfortable enough to do that then the kids wont hesitate to bully either
 

Aero

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
5,910
I don't agree with these type of laws per say. But it's not really special treatment. People tend not to take me serious when I bring it up but. There is a such thing as escalation, and the media stokes that fire. It starts with ripping up a Quran, or bullying and assaults. As a responsible forward thinking societies, we can't just do nothing.
 

JoChris

Superstar
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
6,168
I don't agree with these type of laws per say. But it's not really special treatment. People tend not to take me serious when I bring it up but. There is a such thing as escalation, and the media stokes that fire. It starts with ripping up a Quran, or bullying and assaults. As a responsible forward thinking societies, we can't just do nothing.
Laws can only do so much.
If hate speech laws are not made, then some people think it's OK to spew hatred and abuse.
If hate speech laws are made, then some people thinks it's OK to force other people to be silent.

If people truly loved their neighbour as themself as Jesus commanded there would be fewer problems in this area.
 

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
Does anyone think that singling out one specific religion for special protection is going to make people feel better about that religion?
 

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
What else do they do then?
Canada has hate speech laws, protection of religious freedom, and penalties in the criminal code that cover pretty much everything that is harmful to human beings.

Ripping up a Quran, as offensive as it might be to Muslims, doesn't actually harm anyone. If someone takes that as license to harm a Muslim, that's where the law steps in. Is there some reason you feel that Canada's existing laws aren't adequately protecting Muslims in Canada?

Also, do you feel that imams like the one in Montreal, who preach that Jews are the worst people on earth, should be prosecuted under Canada's hate speech laws?
 

manama

Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
3,827
Canada has hate speech laws, protection of religious freedom, and penalties in the criminal code that cover pretty much everything that is harmful to human beings.

Ripping up a Quran, as offensive as it might be to Muslims, doesn't actually harm anyone. If someone takes that as license to harm a Muslim, that's where the law steps in. Is there some reason you feel that Canada's existing laws aren't adequately protecting Muslims in Canada?

Also, do you feel that imams like the one in Montreal, who preach that Jews are the worst people on earth, should be prosecuted under Canada's hate speech laws?
Ofcourse he should
when islam tells us to love jews and christians and the people of the book as our own families
when islam tells us that anything made by the hand of jews or christians etc is automatically halal
then who is that imam to say stuff like that
 

Aero

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
5,910
It's not about making people feel better about the religion. It's about sending a message. Sure the best solution would be teaching people to be healthy minded, but I don't think that's what governments want.
 

Thunderian

Superstar
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
7,515
then who is that imam to say stuff like that
I believe his message was based on the following hadith from al-Bukhari:

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The Jews will fight with you, and you will be given victory over them so that a stone will say, 'O Muslim! There is a Jew behind me; kill him!' "

 
Top