B’nai Brith Canada: “Some optional Muslim prayers are explicitly anti-Jewish”

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MP Arif Virani, B’nai Brith Canada reps David Matas and Brian Herman, MP Anthony Housefather, MP Tracey Ramsey, and MP Michael Barrett in Ottawa. Photo: Bnai Brith Canada

On May 2, 2019 B’nai Brith Canada submitted recommendations on how to better combat online hatred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

David Matas (Senior Legal Counsel) and Brian Herman (Director, Government Relations) submitted oral and written proposals on the subject.

Here is an excerpt from David Matas’ submission:

Freedom of religion is a countervailing value to the right to freedom from incitement to hatred. In balancing off these two rights, the right to freedom from incitement to hatred must prevail. Incitement to hatred is integral to no religion. The defence of religious expression guts the offence of incitement to hatred.

There are, for instance, some optional Muslim prayers which are explicitly anti-Jewish. Incitement against Jews should be prosecutable whether it is made from a religious or secular dais. Religious expression should not be a defence to this form of incitement. The defence needs to be repealed.