The national gay lobbying group EGALE applauded the passage through the Senate this week of Bill C-41. The Bill, which would impose tougher sentences for hate crimes such as gay-bashing, received public hearings and passed third reading in the Senate on Tuesday without amendment.
“The Senate dealt with the Bill within a week - without fuss and without incident,” said John Fisher, Executive Director of EGALE. “This clearly demonstrates that much of the controversy in the House of Commons could have been avoided by swift decisive action. In fact, a tiny number of extremists in the Commons tried to make the Bill seem more controversial than it really was. In the end, it was just a storm in a teacup.”
“Hopefully the Minister of Justice has learned the lesson that delaying legislation just provides the intolerant few with a platform to air their prejudice. Prompt introduction and passage of the amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act is the only way to keep the intolerance of the minority from hijacking the legislative agenda.”
For further information:
John Fisher, Executive Director, EGALE: (613) 230-1043
Egale Canada ©2007