(Ottawa) The Liberal government released more details on its strategy and funding to combat the increase in hate crimes targeting several communities.
The Minister of Diversity, Kamal Khera, presented on Tuesday her Anti-Hate Action Plan, which aims to coordinate the way in which the different ministries promote diversity and prevent violent incidents and hate speech by line.
Mme Khera said the funding is needed because Statistics Canada is reporting an increase in hate crimes involving Jews, Muslims, LGBTQ+ people and other communities.
“Whether online or in our streets, the words [et] Hateful acts have a devastating impact on our communities and our entire country. Whether it’s attacks on our mosques, community divisions or even the loss of loved ones,” she said outside a mosque in Brampton, Ontario.
She noted the arrest last week of a London, Ont., man who police said verbally harassed a woman wearing an Islamic headscarf and brandished a knife. In 2021, a self-described white nationalist from this same southwestern Ontario town murdered four members of a Muslim family in what a judge ruled was an act of terrorism.
We cannot allow hatred to spread unchecked; the cost of inaction is far too high.
Kamal Khera, Federal Minister for Diversity
The published action plan details how Ottawa intends to spend the $273.6 million that the Liberals allocated in the April budget to various programs, over a period of six years.
Mme Khera said the allocation includes a $65 million top-up to a fund that helps community and religious organizations cover the costs of installing cameras or hiring security guards. She noted that Ottawa has increased the annual amount of money that institutions can request, if for example they believe it is necessary to obtain 24-hour security.
The Advisory Center for Jewish and Israel Relations said the additional money for security is “very welcome, as many institutions have been stretched beyond their capacity,” noting that Jewish schools have been targeted by shootings, synagogues vandalized and Jewish businesses burned.
The action plan presented Tuesday largely takes up the work already done by federal departments and agencies, with the idea of creating consultation groups capable of identifying gaps in the law and programs, or of tackling obstacles to the implementation of an existing anti-racist strategy.
It lists various programs helping anti-racist organizations monitor and combat online hate, as well as training for Crown prosecutors on “the unique dynamics of hate crimes.”