As Christmas approaches, there is one item on my wish list that requires a response from the federal government. Last December Ali Ehsassi sponsored a petition to repeal Section 296 of the criminal code, which allows prosecution for blasphemous libel. Although it has not recently been enforced and we have the Charter of Rights protecting freedom of expression, we need to set an example for countries that not only have these laws, but also enforce them.
All countries should respect religion, but should not have laws on their books that allow people to use religion to oppress different faiths or the absence of faith. In the United States there are laws on the books that make it illegal for an atheist to hold political office. They make no attempt to enforce them, but with the crazy direction they have taken in the last election, I’m not holding my breath for the future.
This year we opened our arms to Muslim refugees who were brutalized by religious zealotry on their way out and stigmatized as terrorists on the way in. Let us tell them that they can freely practice their faith in Canada because we value freedom of expression and modern civilization does not condone laws that penalize religious discussion.
This letter by CFIC member Russell Pangborn was recently published in the Toronto Star
UPDATE: See also Purging Criminal Code of defunct ‘zombie laws’ no simple task, which cites the anti-blasphemy law among a list of targets for legal reform.
Blasphemy laws are antithetical to freedom of religion. If you are affirming the tenets of one religion, you are blaspheming in 4,000 other religions.