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The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, October 13,1983 - Page 3
Changes sought in Criminal Code
CJC wants tough laws to combat racial hatred
_ By WESLEY GOLDSTEIN
MONTREAL —
The Canadian Jewish Congress has called for a re-examination of Canada's Criminal Code to provide for tougher legislation against incitement of racial hatred.
In a brief to the Commons special committee on visible minorities, Congress specifically recommended changes to sections 281B.2 and 281B.3 of the Code, the areas dealing with promoting hatred in Canada.
Congress asked that the word "wilfully" be removed from article 2 (which declares guilt for "everyone who .. . wilfully promotes hatred against an identifiable group") of the section, claiming the need to prove a specific intention allows an individual to escape the just consequences of their action.
Congress also caDed for the deletion of subsection B and C of 28ld.3, the areas pro-tecting against conviction if the defendant can prove liis statements were liased on reasonable groonds; public bi-terest and/or Iienefit; persona] belief of their truth or ei^ression, in
good faidi, as an opinion upon a religious subject.
"It is these sections which have allowed individuals in our society to extol racism . . . with immunity from prosecution,' ' the brief stated.
Congress also recommended amendment of the Postal Act to make distribution of racist material illegal, as well as asking for an addition to article 387.2 of the Code to create a separate offence for desecration of houses of worship.
The brief, which took about a month to prepare , was presented to the committee in Ottawa by delegation chairperson Sharon Wolfe and members of her group.
The 61-page document was divided into six areas: legal issues, federal and provincial jurisdictions, education, youth, media and labor and employment, and concluded with a series of 14 recommendations.
Anunig the recommendations were Congress' reguest for increased fkmding of provincial human rights commissions. Calling their roles "Incieasfaigly complex," the brief stat^ these commissions should clarify tfaeir mandates to die pidblic, pnblisliing them in tiie language of visible
minorities where numbers warrant.
Provincial governments should also encourage volunteers towards the commissions, the brief added, to provide a bridge between them and the communities they serve.
In the same vein, Congress called for the establishment of race relations monitoring bodies, in storefront sites, to "provide information for a central co-ordinating unit.
In the area of education. Congress called for sensitization programs in the public sector, where personal and other attitudes could be examined.
' 'Those found seriously lacking in understanding or desire to change should be encouraged to find other types of employment," the brief maintained.
Additionally, Congress recommended school boards set up advisory committees and guidelines policy on race relations, as well as calling on both the federal and provincial governments to supply additional, library and research material on the subject.
* ^Provincial governments should start compulsory multicultural
education programs at elementaiy, Junior high and high school levels," the brief stated.
Dealing with ~the media, 0»ngress said surveillance should be kept up to guard against stereotyping, adding that the formation of
local and national press councils, with strong citizen participation, would greatly assist in achievii^ this aim.
In the area of employ-mentTCongress said that employment agency staff should be sensitized and educated
against discrimination, and tested and licensed when they are in the private sector. These agencies should be required to keep complete records of their clients and applicants, and should be audited on an ongoing basis.
Government funded projects should include anti - discrimination clauses in their contracts, while their hiring practices should be reviewed _to ensure against discrimination at any level, the brief added.
Theme reflects delegates' concerns
Opts 63 resolutions
MONTREAL-
The national executive committee of Canadian Jewish Congress recently adopted 65 resolutions at its first meeting since' last May's Plenary Assembly.
The resolutions, which had been passed either at the Plenary or by Congress' regional councils, will form the basis of the CJC agenda for the next three years.
They range from concern over the plight of Jews in the Soviet Union, Syria and Ethiopia, to energy conservation and nuclear disarmament.
**The resolutions may seem to be quite varied," said Dorothy Reitman, national execn^ tive committee chair-
man, .^^but there is an underlying theme that reflects our delegates concern about all aspects of our community."
Reitman added that the national executive will be inviting regions to report on their activities and concerns regularly.
At the meeting, the national executive discussed submissions presented to the parliamentary committees on visible minorities and the national security service, and heard a report by Aba Beer, president of the Association of Holocaust Survivors, on his recent visit to Eck-ville.
Beer noted that $500,-000 had been allocated by the Alberta government for a project to
combat racism.
Later, Alan Eose, executive Vice-president of CJC, reported on an upcoming national program that will pay tribute to Scandinavian countries that aided Jewish refugees during World Warn.
The committee was also informed of a letter sent to Prime Minister Trudeau on the Manitoba language rights question, which stressed CJC's opposition to any referendum directly affecting minority rights (CJNOct.6).
In adopting the re-solutions. Congress committed itself to work in many areas. On diS-armanent, it called on the Canadian government to re-examine its policies on armaments
and exporting Candu reactors to "unstable" governments.
In areas directly affecting Canadian Jewry, CJC resolved to support a World Jewish Congress pilot program to have five commnnities enrol all their Jewish children in Jewish educational institutions.
The national executive also decided to establish a national task force and national Holocaust education committee to help combat racism and counteract anti-semitic writings and pronouncements.
Also adopted was a resolution that all national and regional officers participate in the Soviet Jewry committee's adbpt-a-family program.
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