"Bill C-305 takes a strong step towards making our neighbourhoods and communities safer places to live."

Chandra Arya, MP – Nepean, rises in the House of Commons to support his Private Members’ Bill C-305 during second reading.

I have great news to share; Bill C-305 has achieved another great success.

With a view to combat increasing hate crimes across the country, I introduced my Private Member’s Bill last year with two objectives.

One, to change section 430 of the Criminal Code to recognize that hate motivated by bias based on gender identity and sexual orientation would carry the same weight as crimes committed against religion, race, colour, national or ethnic origin. And two, to expand the law to include schools, day care centres, colleges or universities, community centres, seniors’ residences and cultural centres.

On May 8th, the bill was read for a third time in the House of Commons after I tabled it last fall.

It passed a third reading in the House of Commons with unanimous approval.

This cross-party support for the bill reflects the desire of Canadians to see all groups protected equally from hate crimes. In a multicultural country like Canada, there should be no tolerance for hate. Bill C-305 takes a strong step towards making our neighbourhoods and communities safer places to live.

I hope we will achieve complete success and this bill will become law in due course.