Bill C-257 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)

This enactment amends the Canadian Human Rights Act to add political belief and political activity to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Freedom of Political Expression

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table another petition in support of Bill C-257, a bill that, coincidentally, stands in my name. I thank the petitioners for bringing this petition to me to table in the House.

The petitioners note that Canadians have a right to be protected against discrimination and that they can face political discrimination. While there are various other prohibited grounds of discrimination, political belief is not currently included in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Bill C-257 would add political belief or activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. In addition to protecting Canadians from discrimination, it would allow for free and open debate within Canada without people being worried about consequences.

The petitioners want the House to support Bill C-257 and also defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political beliefs.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from Canadians who share their condolences with the member for Kingston and the Islands on being passed over for cabinet again. I am sorry, I am misreading it.

This is a petition in support of Bill C-257. It is a private member's bill I have tabled that seeks to protect the fundamental rights of Canadians by adding political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. This bill would combat political discrimination.

The petition calls on members of the House to support Bill C-257 and to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I will conclude with a petition in support of Bill C-257, which would ban discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity. The petitioners want to see the House support Bill C-257 to protect Canadians from political discrimination.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, the next petition is in support of Bill C-257. It is a private member's bill that stands in my name that would add political belief or activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.

This bill would protect Canadians from discrimination on the basis of their political views. Currently, while Canadians are protected in the federal jurisdiction from discrimination on the basis of many different criteria, there is no protection against discrimination on the basis of political views. This lack of protection can have a chilling effect when people maybe limit their public comments on issues that are important to them for fear they might face professional or other forms of discrimination or retaliation.

Petitioners call on the House to support Bill C-257, which would protect Canadians from political discrimination.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to table a number of petitions on behalf of my constituents. I hope there will not be too much heckling. Although heckling is allowed, we certainly would not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater in that regard.

The first petition I am tabling is in support of Bill C-257, which is an excellent private member's bill I have tabled in the House. It would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination within the Canadian Human Rights Act. Petitioners note that currently there is no prohibition against discriminating against someone on the basis of their political beliefs, and that adding that prohibition would align well with prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of other characteristics already protected in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Petitioners note in particular that it is in the best interests of democracy to protect public debate and the free exchange of ideas. Political discrimination can deter individuals from participating and limit their ability to participate freely in public debate. Bill C-257 would protect the free exchange of ideas that helps to advance the common good through substantial exchanges among free people.

Petitioners therefore want the House to pass Bill C-257 and to take other measures to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, next, I would like to table a petition in support of the private member's bill, Bill C-257. This bill proposes to add political belief or activity to the Canadian Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds for discrimination. Right now we cannot discriminate against someone on various named criteria but there is no prohibition against discriminating against someone on the basis of their political views. Political discrimination can also particularly undermine the free flow of ideas and debate within a democratic society and it is in the best interests of Canadian democracy, petitioners note, to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas by acting to combat political discrimination.

Petitioners therefore call on the House to support Bill C-257 and to defend the rights of all Canadians to freely and peacefully express their political opinions.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have a couple of petitions to present today.

The first petition is from Canadians from across the country who are concerned about political discrimination. They are calling on the House of Commons to adopt Bill C-257. This bill seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act. The petitioners also note that Canadians face political discrimination and call for the government to quickly pass this bill and defend the rights of all Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition that I am tabling is in support of a private member's bill that I have tabled in the House, Bill C-257. It is an important bill, according to petitioners, who say that Canadians have a right to be protected against discrimination and that Canadians can and do face political discrimination. Petitioners note that it is a fundamental right to be politically active and that discrimination on the basis of political views can limit people's ability to be actively involved in the political conversation.

Bill C-257 would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination within the Canadian Human Rights Act. Petitioners ask the House to support Bill C-257, which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity. They want to see the House act to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to present a petition signed by Canadians across this country, as well as residents of Haldimand—Norfolk. These petitioners believe the government should recognize that Canadians can and do suffer from political discrimination, and that Canadians should be rightfully protected from such discrimination, in recognition of their rights to be politically active and vocal. These petitioners believe that it is important to protect public debate and the open exchange of ideas if we are to uphold democracy in Canada.

As such, they are calling on the House of Commons to support Bill C-257, which seeks to add protection from discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity to the Canadian Human Rights Act, and to defend the rights of all Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the residents of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.

Today, I am presenting two petitions. The first petition is from Canadians who wish to support Bill C-257. They wish to have the definition of discrimination expanded to include political belief and activity as an enumerated grounds of discrimination.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition today signed by Canadians from across the country.

The petitioners call on the House of Commons to ensure that Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination. Canadians can and do feel political discrimination, and it is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal. It is in the best interests of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas.

The folks who have signed this petition are in support of Bill C-257, which seeks to add the protection of political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act. The petitioners call on the House of Commons to adopt this bill quickly and to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, the next petition I am tabling is in support of Bill C-257, a private member's bill that I put forward in the House, aimed at combatting the pernicious phenomenon of political discrimination.

The petitioners note that Canadians have a right to be protected against discrimination and that they can and do face political discrimination, which is discrimination on the basis of their political views. There is no reference to political belief or activity currently in the Canadian Human Rights Act as a prohibited grounds of discrimination. Bill C-257 would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination.

The petitioners therefore call on the House to support Bill C-257 and to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions free from political discrimination.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, my next petition is in support of an excellent private member's bill that I put forward, Bill C-257.

The petitioners ask the House to recognize that political discrimination is a serious problem in this country, and that our human rights legislation provides protection for people from various kinds of discrimination but does not protect people from discrimination on the basis of political views or activity. The petitioners note that Bill C-257 would make that simple change, to protect people from discrimination on the basis of their political views.

The petitioners call on the House to support Bill C-257 and, further, to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition is in support of Bill C-257, a bill that would protect freedom of expression in Canada by adding political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, the next petition that I am tabling is in support of a private member's bill, coincidentally put forward in the House by me. The private member's bill is Bill C-257. This is a private member's bill that would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

The petitioners note that our country is better off when people are free to be politically active without fear of reprisal for their political activities. They call on the House to support Bill C-257 and to defend the rights of all Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.