It enhances the rights of religious communities. It does not take them away

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An important underlying purpose of the Combatting Hate Act is protecting communities of faith. Nobody should be intimidated or obstructed when they want to go pray. The act gives police clear tools to intervene when intimidation or obstruction of a community space occurs. It is an important signal that Parliament expects police and prosecutors to act to protect communities of faith.

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When I was mayor of the City of Cote Saint-Luc, I held a rally for religious freedom on the City Hall lawn to protest against the Parti Quebecois’ Charter of Values that sought to restrict religious freedom. As an MP, I held a rally against Quebec’s Bill 21, which used the notwithstanding clause to override religious freedoms. I have a long history of standing up for religious........

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