Rosella Melanson: Religion in politics is political blasphemy

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A bill is making its way in the House of Commons that is so sensible, I cannot imagine how anyone can be against it.

Yet we’ll probably hear squawking from those who would no longer be undeservedly protected from being charged with hate speech.

Bill C-367, introduced by the Bloc Québecois, would remove an exception in the Criminal Code’s hate speech section, which states “no person shall be convicted” of stirring up hatred if their opinion is religious in nature.

This is a bizarre exemption. Our constitution affords freedom of thought, conscience and opinion to all manner of beliefs – religious and secular alike – and yet hate speech is not permitted just because someone believes in their hatred strongly and sincerely.

Unless, of course, the basis is a religious text or teaching. It’s the old excuse of “my neighbour – or my wife – is not my equal because I read it in a holy book.”

It’s an excuse that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Religious people, like everyone else, have the right to think and believe what they want in their homes and their churches. But their freedom to hate ends once it has an impact on others – especially for vulnerable minorities who are subjected to hateful rhetoric and even violence.

New Brunswick has its share of concerns on this front. Last fall, the ugly signs and chants “Stop Grooming Our Kids” and “God Hates You,” from religious persons of various faiths demonstrating against Policy 713 – but, actually, against trans and other LGBTQ citizens – showed that the bizarre misinformation spread in the United States has found our shores. We saw Premier Blaine Higgs choose his camp when he readily chummed with anti-LGBTQ bigots in Fredericton, but didn’t feel it necessary that day to address counter-protesters who support equality and human rights.

Higgs has also welcomed the religious right into his political family, having recruited evangelical and activist Faytene Grasseschi as a Progressive Conservative candidate in Hampton. Grasseschi is infamous for having once advocated the takeover of nations to “restore” God’s morality.

She says she “has evolved” since then. I am comforted she believes in evolution.

Our society evolved when we stopped giving credence to the idea that divine laws trump those made by citizens.

The law must protect our rights from religion, which has worked against people seeking equality. Often, bigots use religion to brandish their hatred without guilt and, in Canada, without repercussion.

May the Bloc’s proposed bill be adopted quickly, and no heed paid to the haters. Amen.

Rosella Melanson is a writer based in Fredericton