Archived Letter - 1181

Canada is under attack. Politicians in Ottawa and also in Toronto recently passed legislation which directly censures the most important tenant of our Constitution, freedom of speech. They have passed Bill 103 which is titled "Islamophobia bill". The first major wrong with this bill is that there is nothing in it defining what Canadians "irrational " fear is and it stops us from being able to talk about it. Canada has hate speech laws already on the books preventing people from inciting violence against anyone or any group . This new legislation is a huge intrusion on our constitutional rights . Should an atheist be able to say that they dont believe in God or Mohammed ?  Some would find that offensive but offending should not be a crime unless it falls under a category of inciting violence or harm. Freedom of speech allows for citizens to express themselves and when it comes to radical Islamic fundamentalists , Canadians should be voicing themselves loud and clear , especially Muslim Canadians against these cowards. We have had a soldier shot and another driven over by  a car , they were unarmed and defenceless  and both were murdered by jihadi killers. Why do our politicians want us silenced when it comes to what is written in the Koran?  This fear Canadians and people around the world feel is real, it is not a "phobia", the threat is real and the number of body bags stacked up like cord wood around the world prove it.  I find it completely despicable that MPs and MPP`s have rammed unconstitutional legislation through to try and silence the oppressed. When a 12 year old girl is forced into a marriage under the auspices of Islam , Canadians will be silenced by their own government  for fear of imprisonment. Curbing free speech is wrong and I would fight for the right of those I disagree with to maintain it. We are not the Soviet Union or Cuba,  I hope every body who reads this calls their representative in government  to stop these bills from becoming law?

Cornelis Boot