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Attorney general’s hate crime policy change applauded |
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Written by --
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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TORONTO – Senior representatives from B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights met last Thursday with Ontario Attorney General Chris Bentley for an extensive and constructive meeting during which Bentley outlined positive changes to the current hate crime determination policy.
The changes will ensure that any requests for charges under the hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code will quickly be brought to the attention of the attorney general and that decisions on formal requests for charges will be made within 60 days.
“Our League for Human Rights representatives had a very constructive meeting with Minister Bentley yesterday,” said Ruth Klein, national director of the League. “We are very pleased to hear that the attorney general has taken some of our concerns to heart and implemented a positive change to the policy of how hate crime determinations are made in Ontario. We hope that these changes will lead to a change for the better in hate crime prosecutions across the province.
“The policy changes implemented by the minister will bring much-needed urgency and efficiency to how hate crime charges are laid under the Criminal Code. We are very pleased to have been able to play a role in getting that essential policy clarification.”
Bentley has also assigned Howard Leibovitch, deputy director of the Crown Law Office – Criminal, as a liaison for police, the public or other interested parties in hate-crimes cases.
Frank Bialystok, Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario Region chair, said, “We are gratified the attorney general has committed to make constructive policy changes that will…provide much-needed clarity and urgency to the administration of this section of Canada’s Criminal Code.”
“We believe these changes will allow the system to function more quickly and clearly to ensure hate propaganda cases don’t fall through the cracks,” said CJCONT Honourary Legal Counsel Igor Ellyn. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 October 2009 )
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