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Justice minister Arif Virani (who is also attorney general) told the Globe and Mail that it is ‘very, very important’ to restrain the behaviour of those who have ‘a track record of hateful behaviour who may be targeting certain people or groups.’ If ‘there’s a genuine fear of an escalation, then an individual or group could come forward and seek a peace bond against them and to prevent them from doing certain things,’ Virani explained. In other words, Canadians could effectively be charged with pre-crime. Bill C-63 adds section 13 to the Humans Right Act, which now considers speech alone as discrimination if it is ‘likely to foment detestation or vilification of an individual or group.’
Someone like me, whose criticisms of gender identity ideology are considered transphobic hate speech by the government-funded Canadian Anti-Hate Network, would be a prime target. Just last year, a panel event I was booked to speak on was cancelled by the venue, citing the Human Rights Code. In a letter from the Cowichan Community Centre, the Administrative and Facility Booking Coordinator explained:
Given the likelihood that the purpose of this event is to promote, or would have the effect of promoting discrimination, contempt or hatred for any group or person on the basis of sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor, it is determined this rental must be cancelled.
There had been no indication or evidence that there would be any discrimination or hatred expressed at the event, entitled, ‘Inclusivity, Gender Identity, and Women’s Rights,’ yet I had essentially been accused of pre-crime.
This wasn’t the first time this has happened. Following a speaking event I did at the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) in 2019 called ‘Gender Identity Ideology and Women’s Rights,’ the library updated its room booking policy to introduce a ‘Rental Pre-Screening and Risk Assessment procedure to identify whether events are likely to, or will, violate the Criminal Code or the BC Human Rights Code, or present a significant security risk to the Library.’ The updated policy states that ‘hate speech, as defined by law, is not permitted, and that VPL will not accept event bookings that are intended to promote or incite hate as defined by Canadian law.’ Later that year, nearly 10,000 Canadians signed a petition to have my talk at the Toronto Public Library cancelled, on account of the prediction it would consist of ‘hate speech.’ Canada is becoming more and more illiberal.
This behaviour has become the norm over recent years, supported by Trudeau’s ruling Liberal party, who seem to have determined anything that challenges government orthodoxy amounts to ‘hate’ or even terrorism. Recently, it was reported that CSIS, Canada’s intelligence agency, and Canada’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC) had assessed the ‘anti-gender movement’ and the connected parental rights movement as a ‘violent threat’ to Canada. CSIS spokesperson Eric Balsam told CBC News that, while violent rhetoric does not always lead to violence, ‘the ecosystem of violent rhetoric within the anti-gender movement, compounded with other extreme worldviews, can lead to serious violence.’ In other words, the idea that words are dangerous to the point of being criminal is accepted by government agencies.
The prospect of jail or house arrest for distasteful speech should terrify everyone, but, more than that, the new laws will have a silencing effect on so many people. Those already inclined to cancel or reject booking for talks addressing controversial subjects, such as Canadian libraries and community centres – supposedly public spaces – would be emboldened. And those already fearful of rocking the boat will surely think twice as hard before dissenting.
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