Letter to express opposition to Canada's Bill C-9

Hon. <MP>,

I'm writing you today as a constituent of our riding, <riding name>, to express my opposition to the government's legislation as it is currently proposed, Bill C-9 (Combatting Hate Act). I believe this legislation carries too much potential to infringe critical Charter rights in pursuit of its goal of criminalizing hate-motivated acts, and that it grants too much discretion to Canada's law enforcement officers to determine criminal motivations.

Members of my community suffer from documented historical and contemporary prejudice from law enforcement organizations. These agencies have received funding and direction to ameliorate these prejudices, but the statistical evidence does not yet exist to support the efficacy of those agencies to effect necessary change. It is premature to grant to their officers the discretion about what constitutes a hate-motivated act, and members of my community express concern to this day that law enforcement will not hear their grievances with proportionate motivation to act in their interest.

Today I learned of a friend who was attacked at an assembly in recent memory, an act clear to both of us as hate-motivated. Law enforcement on scene acted to protect the attacker, arresting instead two members of the assembly whom the attacker spuriously accused. It required substantial advocacy and agitation by the community to have those charges dropped. Meanwhile the actions of the attacker are already criminal under existing legislation, and the failure of law enforcement officers' judgement delayed justice while inflicting institutional harm. These facts are acknowledged by law enforcement and government officials today, yet the impact of that harm is not reflected in the governments' proposed bill.

Additionally, the decision to elevate religious institutions for protection under the law creates new avenues of marginalization. I and a growing segment of Canadians do not hold religious beliefs, and so for us, under the proposed legislation, we are offered additional infringements upon our Charter rights to assembly and no additional protection from hate-motivated violence. Furthermore, these religious institutions are often the subject of protest by members of their own congregations, who will be equally restricted from expression despite their shared connection with the institutions.

The proposed legislation seeks to circumscribe my Charter right to strike in pursuit of fair wages and better employment conditions. We need legislation to bolster our right to strike, to hold large multinational corporations to their obligation to engage with organized labour to the same standard small and medium sized businesses are held. This legislation does nothing to help me as a worker in Canada, and I cannot accept this unjustified erosion of my Charter rights.

I join the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), and more than 30 other civil society organizations in the concerns they have expressed about the hazards this legislation carries. We share the governments concerns about the rise in hate-motivated acts of violence, but we believe this government's proposed legislation does not meet the needs of Canadians and must be reconsidered.

Regards,
<your name here>