Justice committee  I am waiting for recommendations from the various sub-task forces, including those on antisemitism and Islamophobia, in order to better understand what their recommendations are for the future.

Justice committee  At McGill University, aside from the cases of antisemitism we are talking about, are there also cases of Islamophobia, racism or homophobia, for example? Are there other forms of hate that currently exist on McGill University's campus?

Justice committee  What I can say categorically is that there's no place for hate at Concordia. We're all disgusted by the rise of anti-Semitism, the spread of Islamophobia and the proliferation of identity-based hatred and violence. Canadian universities embody academic freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. They should be places of civil and evidence-informed reflection and debate.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It has been devastating not only in Gaza and Israel with the dreadful terrorist attack on October 7—an attempt to exterminate a people—but also here in Canada with Islamophobia and anti-Semitism running rampant. I think we need to estimate—because perhaps we've underestimated—the damage that this has caused us as a country and the divisive politics that come out of it.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  We heard the stories on the ground of what the people are going through. It's from both sides. Human lives are being lost. It's a human tragedy. Here at home, Islamophobia, as you rightly said, and anti-Semitism are on the rise. Our Conservative friends are exploiting the situation rather than bringing people together. I agree with you that we should not be using this as a political issue.

Justice committee  For example, when I say here that the celebration of barbarity by Hamas is not protected speech or when I say here that “by any means necessary” is not protected speech, then I will be accused of Islamophobia. I will be accused of propagating hatred, completely misunderstanding or distorting where those boundaries are. As I said, I've worked with members of the Muslim community. I've been involved in Muslim-Jewish dialogue.

Justice committee  In your opinion, should all forms of hate be treated equally, or should more special consideration be given to antisemitism or Islamophobia, for example? Should specific treatment be reserved for these forms of hate, or should any hate speech or any form of hatred be dealt with in the same way?

Business of Supply  On this side of the House, we stand completely opposed to such policies and have implemented policies that are vastly different. That includes challenging Islamophobia. That includes funding for the security infrastructure program to protect places of worship. That includes Bill C-63, which would tackle Islamophobia head-on and help keep all Canadians safe.

Business of Supply  It is alarming and distressing to hear numerous accounts of hatred against people in our public forum, for example. This includes a rise in both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Hatred has no place in this country, in Canada. All people must feel safe to express themselves, whether it be online or off-line. Can the Minister of Justice please discuss how the online harms act would help keep us safe from hatred?

Business of Supply  Speaker, it would do so by entrenching a definition of hatred that has already been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada; by ensuring that hatred is identified and one's exposure to it is reduced via putting a responsibility on platforms; by ensuring that one can complain to the Canadian Human Rights Commission if one believes that one is the target of online hate speech; and by ensuring that the penalties for hatred, including the anti-Semitism and Islamophobia that were just mentioned by the member, are addressed with more significant penalties on summary conviction and on indictable offences. We have a scourge of hatred in this country, and we have to address it.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, hate is on the rise in Canada. In fact, at our committee right now, we are studying anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. We could study anti anything these days. I believe there is so much going on in the world that people just want to express their anger, and there is a lot happening. It is alarming ,and it is distressing to hear numerous accounts of hatred against people in our public forum.

Business of Supply  This is critical toward keeping people safe, now more than ever, when hatred is on the rise, whether it is the anti-Semitism the member just spoke about, whether it is the Islamophobia we have seen with such fatal consequences, whether it is attacks towards the LGBTQ2 community or whether it is attacks against indigenous people in the Prairies. This is rife right now.

Business of Supply  Today I subbed in at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, which is currently looking at the issues of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. It is quite obvious that Jews across Canada are reporting a terrifying increase of hate directed toward them as an identifiable group. One of the recommendations that emerged at today's meeting was to ban symbols of hate.

Justice committee  We are also subjected to a double standard. There is, rightly, zero tolerance for homophobia, Islamophobia, misogyny or anti-Black and anti-indigenous discrimination. Every other group can define what they experience as systemic hatred, but for some reason, the Jews can't. Somehow, it's more complicated, just like the Ivy League presidents indicated.

Canadian Heritage committee  You can characterize this however you want, Chair, but you can read back the comments in Hansard. We are talking about racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia. It's all in here, and that's what I'm talking about. Quite frankly, I think my comments are constructive, and I would actually welcome the conversation of whether we should include directly, in this proposed study, Islamophobia, because I believe that to be a scourge.