A landmark civil rights bill which could effectively outlaw the Ku Klux Klan has been introduced by British Columbia’s Attorney General Allan Williams. The Civil Rights Protection Act, the first provincial law of its kind in Canada, prohibits the promotion of hate propaganda or doctrines of superiority based on race, religion or ethnic origin, Williams explained. The opposition New Democratic Party hailed the measure and promised to push for swift passage in the legislature.
Williams has been under pressure from opposition members to take action against the KKK in British Columbia. The racist outfit recently conducted cross-burnings and has spread hate propaganda against East Indians in the province. The new act will permit civil action in the provincial Supreme Court against any person or group that interferes with an individual’s civil rights by promoting racial hatred. The court could issue an injunction to prohibit racist activities.
The act would also allow prosecution under summary conviction and provide for maximum fines of $2,000 or six months in prison for individuals, or $10,000 for a corporation or a society. There are already anti-racist provisions in the Canadian criminal code and the British Columbia anti-discrimination code. Williams’ bill is meant to close whatever gaps there are in the existing codes.
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