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'Chill Bill' Passes Canadian House, Makes Free Speech Against Gays a Crime
By Jimmy Moore
Talon News
April 30, 2004

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (Talon News) -- A bill introduced by Canadian parliament member Svend Robinson that would make free speech against homosexuals a crime passed in the House of Commons.

The "Chill Bill," or C-250, passed by a vote of 140-110 on Wednesday despite objections from the religious community that religious speech would be limited by the law if they speak out against homosexuality.

If it becomes law, then the "Chill Bill," which is also known as the "Bible As Hate Literature" bill, would ban speech that would be used in condemnation of homosexuality or homosexual acts.

This is similar to the anti-hate speech law in Sweden where a Pentecostal minister is now facing charges for using the Bible to point out that homosexuality is a sin.

Robinson, who belongs to the socialist New Democratic Party in the Canadian parliament, has championed civil liberties issues in the past and is openly gay.

The "Chill Bill" would specifically amend Section 318 of the hate crime law by adding the phrase "sexual orientation" as the fifth protected class of people, adding to color, race, religion, and ethnic origin.

"It's a bill that recognizes that when hate crimes are perpetrated [in Canada] against those who are of a minority religion or race or ethnic origin or color, that Canada says this is wrong," Robinson said in defense of his bill.

Robinson asserts that homosexuals should also be included as part of the language of the hate crimes law.

"But there's one group in the country and that is gays and lesbians -- the group that has more hate crimes, more violence perpetrated against it -- that isn't included in the hate propaganda laws," Robinson notes.

However, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada President Bruce Clemenger believes this bill would have a decidedly "chilling effect" on people of faith who believe homosexuality is wrong.

"Whether this law leads to the prosecution of religious groups or not, it's almost certain to have a chilling effect," he told the Calgary Herald. "Will the Gideons still be allowed to place Bibles in motel rooms?"

Clemenger is concerned that the terms "hate" and "sexual orientation" are not defined in the legislation. The maximum penalty for these hate crime convictions is five years in prison.

Robinson responds to this by saying his bill was drafted to prevent "gay bashing" and contends that the notion that religious speech would be silenced by the bill is "utterly without foundation."

Even still, John McKay, a member of the Canadian parliament who voted against C-250, said those who oppose homosexuality will be forced to suffer the consequences of speaking out against them in the future if this bill becomes law.

"Anybody who has views on homosexuality that differ from Svend Robinson's will be exposed rather dramatically to the joys of the Criminal Code," McKay told the Canadian Press.

Canadian legislative observer Vic Toews said Robinson is simply advocating "fascism" to promote his radical agenda.

Derek Rogusky, the vice president of family policy for Focus on the Family Canada, said any legislation that limits the rights of people of faith while giving more rights to gays generally favors homosexuals when challenged in court.

"We've seen through the courts that when religious freedom comes up against gay rights, that in fact religious freedom tends to be more often than not the loser in those particular cases," Rogusky told CBC Newsworld.

But religious objections to homosexuality are already being condemned in Canada.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission recently ruled that a newspaper ad that listed Biblical references in it opposing homosexuality amounted to a human rights offense. The newspaper and the man who took out the ad were forced to pay $1,500 each to three gay men who complained about it.

And in British Columbia, the supreme court said a high school teacher's one-month suspension without pay should remain because he wrote letters to the editor in his local newspaper contending that nobody is born with homosexuality.

Bill C-250 is now headed to the 105-member Canadian Senate for consideration.

Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.

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I saw that!
I was so intent on posting it myself, that I neglected to see if someone had already. More egg on my face and its not even breakfast yet!

This whole thing makes me sad and angry at once. I'm certainly not about to start throwing stones from my own sorry glass house, so I don't hold much with dumping on Homosexuals or other such - as long as they keep it among adults and indoors. But, the left just will not rest until everyone dances to their tune. Diversity!? The only "diversity" that means anything involves the real distinctions of faith and ideas - held strongly. "Live and let live" does not mean that people think other faiths or ideas are equally right and true - but that we have agreed together to settle the inevitable conflicts with words and examples rather than fists and guns - whether welded by state officials in enforcement of the law or plain citizens on their own.

In our past people lived as neighbors and fought in common against our nations enemies alongside those whom they were certain they'd never see in heaven. And they made no bones about it - each knew that the other (Protestant, Catholic, or Jew) thought the same. That's "Diversity". But, that takes, strength, self - control and conviction, not "sensitivity", and victim-hood.
A free people cannot have thin skins!

As for this kind of legislation. We know who the enemy is, and how to fight them. Prayer, example, witness and the ballot box.
Thank you, and
Be Well,
DIM1