I think what we're saying with this bill is that these practices, which involve violence and which constitute crimes, cannot be defended under any other heading. You can't defend them because it's a family practice. You can't defend them because “that's just the way things were done traditionally in my community”, whether that community is Bountiful, British Columbia, or some community elsewhere in Canada or some community abroad. You can't defend those practices in the name of culture, saying, “I don't have to observe the Criminal Code in this case, because my culture exempts me from that”. There would be no defence in terms of religious freedoms either. One's religion, one's culture does not give one the right to commit crimes in Canada, to violate the Criminal Code.
All the outstanding leaders of our cultural and religious communities understand that the rule of law is one of the great anchors of the quality of life in this country. We are strengthening it when we attack barbaric practices, violent practices that masquerade as culturally acceptable or even religiously acceptable practices.
You will remember some of the practices that were tolerated in the name of religion in previous centuries, even in the last century, in many parts of the world. They also were barbaric. Every religion has some of those practices. We see the Islamic State doing horrific things and justifying them in the name of Islam. We know that's not Islam. We know they are not justified by reference to religion. This is terrorism, this is criminality, this is horrific, and it shouldn't be tolerated anywhere.
It certainly won't be tolerated in Canada, even in the forms it previously was, if we enact these measures.