Tories deny plan to use hate crime laws against Israel boycotters

The federal Conservatives aredenying there's any basis to a CBC News storysaying the governmentissignalling its intentionto use hate crime laws against Canadian advocacy groups that encourage boycotts of Israel.

But the responsefrom the Tories appears to contradict theemail commentsbya public safety ministry spokeswoman, whocited Canada'shate crime laws when asked specifically by CBC News about the government's "zero tolerance"for Israel boycotters.

Asked Tuesday whether the government planned to use hate crime laws against Israel boycotters,Public Safety Minister StevenBlaney said "No," adding there areprovisions in the Criminal Code to deal withhatespeechand propaganda "andwe trust in our justicesystem to enforce those regulations."

• Ottawa cites hate crime laws when asked about its 'zero tolerance' for Israel boycotters
• Read email exchange between CBC's Neil Macdonald and Public Safety Canada

Following the publication of the story on Monday,JeremyLaurin, a spokesman for Blaney, said that"this story is inaccurate and ridiculous.These laws have been on the books for many years and have not changed."

Jean-Christophede Le Rue, director of communications forPublic Safety, added that "politicians cannot lay charges the independent police and public prosecution service do."

But de Le Rue amended Laurin's response, saying the "substance [of the law] has not changed in any relevant way."

De Le Rue's clarification most likely was in reference to Bill C-13, the so-called cyberbullying bill that received royalassent on Dec. 9, 2014. In that bill, Canada's hate laws were amended to include"national origin," along with race and religion, as criteria for groups that could be targets of hate speech.

Boycott movement concerned it may be targeted

Thatamendmenthassparked concerns among those who support theglobal Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement,which began in 2006 at the request of Palestinian non-governmental organizations.The movement claims thatIsrael is violating the rights of Palestinians andhascalledfor sanctions against Israel whileseekingto target Israeli products and companies.

A number of organizations, including labour and studentunions,the United Church of Canada and the Canadian Quakers, have endorsed such action.

Those whosupport BDS fear that the change in the law couldlump in people who speak against Israel with those who are anti-Semitic.

In January, Canada's then foreign affairs minister, John Baird, signed a "memorandum of understanding" with Israeli authorities in Jerusalem, pledging to combat BDS, describingthe movement as "the new face of anti-Semitism."

'Zero-tolerance approach'

Also in January, Blaneydelivered a speech atthe UN General Assemblystatingthat Canada has taken a "zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitismand all forms of discrimination including in rhetoric towards Israel, and attempts todelegitimize Israel such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement."

The CBC story was sparked byanemailexchange betweenJoseSirois, a spokeswoman for Public SafetyCanada, andtheCBC'sNeilMacdonald,who had asked for clarification about Blaney's speech.

Macdonaldasked what Blaneymeant when he said Canadais adopting "zero tolerance" toward BDS,"whether the memorandum of understanding has any forcein Canadian law and if the authorities who work forBlaney aredoing anything about the BDS movement.

Siroisresponded that Foreign Affairs would be addressing his questions "regarding the work being done with Israel regarding BDS."

She then citedCanada's hate crime laws under the Criminal Code, saying that Canadahas "one of the most comprehensive sets of laws against hate crime anywhere in the world."

She alsohighlighted the"hate propaganda" provisions in the Criminal Code criminalizing the promotion of hatred against an identifiable group and referred to Criminal Code provisions requiring that a judge consider hate, bias or prejudice when sentencing an offender.