© Provided by Edmonton Journal Edmonton-South NDP MLA Thomas Dang speaks about his private member's bill denouncing racist symbols on Friday, March 19, 2021.
A motion condemning hateful and racist symbols in Alberta was heard at the legislature on Monday, but will have to wait for another day before it can be voted on.
NDP MLA Thomas Dang put forward the motion denouncing the display of “racist symbols and insignia” in public spaces as well as demonstrations “meant to terrorize and promote racism,” citing rallies last month in Edmonton and Calgary that saw some protesters carrying tiki torches, widely considered a white supremacist symbol.
Alberta’s UCP government expressed its support for the NDP motion, but Dang accused the them of running out the clock to avoid debate on his motion, which was heard at the end of a day of private members’ business. The allotted time for motions came after more than an hour of discussion about making rodeo Alberta’s official sport, as well as Bill 205, the Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month Act.
“Jason Kenney and the UCP made it clear today that they don’t want to have the critically important debate about the rising use of symbols of hate at public events in Alberta,” Dang said in a Monday statement.
The government said they were following normal legislative procedure, with time set aside in the last hour for motions, after two hours for bills. A few minutes before 5 p.m., the allotted time for motions, a division bell, recorded vote on Bill 205 and a 15 minute break were called. Another 15 minute break was called at 5:19 p.m. after a separate NDP motion.
The legislature may have to wait weeks for the next opportunity to debate the anti-racism motion in time set aside for private member’s business, which can only happen on Mondays.
Blaise Boehmer, press secretary to Justice Minister Kaycee Madu, said in a statement the minister and the government would support the motion as tabled and have denounced hate-motivated crime, but added prosecuting such crime is a job for independent law enforcement and prosecutors, not politicians.
“Expressions of hatred towards other Albertans is completely unacceptable, and police must investigate when it does occur to determine if those expressions reach the level of criminality,” said Boehmer.
The NDP proposal comes after Edmonton police reported investigating six hate-motivated attacks against Black Muslim women since December and the National Council of Canadian Muslims called for the immediate creation of a bipartisan provincial-municipal committee in Alberta to deal with the challenge of racist and Islamophobic street harassment.
Dang called on the UCP government last Friday to commit to outlawing such symbols in public spaces.
Boehmer said the Criminal Code is under the jurisdiction of the federal government, and laws must be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“We have not heard which mechanisms MLA Dang is proposing to use to ‘ban’ certain inanimate objects and/or emotions,” said Boehmer.
However, Dang said the difficulty police often face in laying charges related to harmful symbols demonstrated the need to create better legislative tools.
‘The action is what’s always lacking’
Irfan Chaudhry, director of the office of human rights, diversity, and equity at MacEwan University, said the province had ways to act without touching the Criminal Code and should not shy away from bold legislation.
“That’s a cop out in my opinion,” said Chaudhry. The government could create parameters for protest, banning hate symbols during protests on government property like the legislature grounds.
Chaudhry compared that option to existing legislation that gives the province the power to hand out stiff penalties to protesters who block rail lines and highways.
He added a declaration and a conversation isn’t enough.
“It’s intent versus action. I think most people have positive intent around addressing racism, but the action is what’s always lacking,” said Chaudhry.
Meanwhile, the government has not committed to making the Anti-Racism Advisory Council’s recommendations to government public, but has said it would review its report in the spring.
(Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the circumstances that led to the vote on the anti-racism motion being held over and to clarify legislature procedure around private members’ bills and motions.)
A motion condemning hateful and racist symbols in Alberta was heard at the legislature on Monday, but will have to wait for another day before it can be voted on.
NDP MLA Thomas Dang put forward the motion denouncing the display of “racist symbols and insignia” in public spaces as well as demonstrations “meant to terrorize and promote racism,” citing rallies last month in Edmonton and Calgary that saw some protesters carrying tiki torches, widely considered a white supremacist symbol.
Alberta’s UCP government expressed its support for the NDP motion, but Dang accused the them of running out the clock to avoid debate on his motion, which was heard at the end of a day of private members’ business. The allotted time for motions came after more than an hour of discussion about making rodeo Alberta’s official sport, as well as Bill 205, the Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month Act.
“Jason Kenney and the UCP made it clear today that they don’t want to have the critically important debate about the rising use of symbols of hate at public events in Alberta,” Dang said in a Monday statement.
The government said they were following normal legislative procedure, with time set aside in the last hour for motions, after two hours for bills. A few minutes before 5 p.m., the allotted time for motions, a division bell, recorded vote on Bill 205 and a 15 minute break were called. Another 15 minute break was called at 5:19 p.m. after a separate NDP motion.
The legislature may have to wait weeks for the next opportunity to debate the anti-racism motion in time set aside for private member’s business, which can only happen on Mondays.
Blaise Boehmer, press secretary to Justice Minister Kaycee Madu, said in a statement the minister and the government would support the motion as tabled and have denounced hate-motivated crime, but added prosecuting such crime is a job for independent law enforcement and prosecutors, not politicians.
“Expressions of hatred towards other Albertans is completely unacceptable, and police must investigate when it does occur to determine if those expressions reach the level of criminality,” said Boehmer.
The NDP proposal comes after Edmonton police reported investigating six hate-motivated attacks against Black Muslim women since December and the National Council of Canadian Muslims called for the immediate creation of a bipartisan provincial-municipal committee in Alberta to deal with the challenge of racist and Islamophobic street harassment.
Dang called on the UCP government last Friday to commit to outlawing such symbols in public spaces.
Boehmer said the Criminal Code is under the jurisdiction of the federal government, and laws must be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“We have not heard which mechanisms MLA Dang is proposing to use to ‘ban’ certain inanimate objects and/or emotions,” said Boehmer.
However, Dang said the difficulty police often face in laying charges related to harmful symbols demonstrated the need to create better legislative tools.
‘The action is what’s always lacking’
Irfan Chaudhry, director of the office of human rights, diversity, and equity at MacEwan University, said the province had ways to act without touching the Criminal Code and should not shy away from bold legislation.
“That’s a cop out in my opinion,” said Chaudhry. The government could create parameters for protest, banning hate symbols during protests on government property like the legislature grounds.
Chaudhry compared that option to existing legislation that gives the province the power to hand out stiff penalties to protesters who block rail lines and highways.
He added a declaration and a conversation isn’t enough.
“It’s intent versus action. I think most people have positive intent around addressing racism, but the action is what’s always lacking,” said Chaudhry.
Meanwhile, the government has not committed to making the Anti-Racism Advisory Council’s recommendations to government public, but has said it would review its report in the spring.
(Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the circumstances that led to the vote on the anti-racism motion being held over and to clarify legislature procedure around private members’ bills and motions.)
Lisa Johnson EDMONTON JOURNAL 3/23/2021
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