Scary Swastikies Strike Again

Ceejer Eric Vernon 'splains why we "vulnerable" victim groups need some more extra-special TLC via new Criminal Code provisions:

...In 2001, the legislation passed after 9/11 known as the Anti-Terrorism Act contained a provision to amend the Criminal Code making it an indictable offence to commit mischief in relation to a house of worship or cemetery, if the commission of this mischief was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate.

At the time Canadian Jewish Congress argued that the ambit of this protection was too narrow,

with far too much communal infrastructure left uncovered. In the intervening years we have been proven right. The unconscionable fire-bombings of two Jewish day schools and attacks against Muslim schools, for example, were not subject to these provisions. Nor was the community centre on the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg reserve in Maniwaki, Quebec when it was covered in swastikas and white power slogans.

The House of Commons is now considering a Private Member’s Bill, C-451, that would rectify this situation. First tabled by Bloc Québécois MP Carole Freeman, and now standing in the name of its current sponsor, Liberal MP Marlene Jennings, the legislation extends the coverage of the mischief section aimed at protecting vulnerable minority communities identified on the basis of colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, language or sexual orientation. It further criminalizes bigotry-motivated attacks against their schools, community centres and the buildings and facilities they principally use which fulfill an administrative, social, cultural, educational or sports function.

Bill C-451 represents an important arrow in the quiver of the state to protect vulnerable minorities. We will look for all-party support of this legislation when the Bill returns for second reading consideration. Its passage will send a critical message that Canada will not tolerate hate crimes deliberately aimed at the infrastructure of vulnerable minorities; crimes that traumatize the target community well beyond the immediate users of a particular building and well after the soap and brushes have washed away the swastikas.

Ambits and quivers and swastikas, oh my. Also, spare us, please, from the Ceej's cockamamamie security blankies. Not only do the ones we have not work (viz the case of Salman Hossain), they play directly into the hands of our enemies.

Oh, and by the way, those school firebombings you mentioned--they were the work of Muslims. Muslims--not the scary swastiky squad.