The federal NDP is advocating for the government to ban the display of three different hate symbols, which leader Jagmeet Singh says are being used to mobilize movements.
, tabled by NDP MP Peter Julian last week, would prohibit the 鈥渄isplay or sale鈥� of symbols or emblems such as the Nazi swastika, the Ku Klux Klan鈥檚 insignia, and the Confederate flag.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very clear what they stand for and it鈥檚 very clear they should not have any place in Canada. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e limiting this to a very specific set of symbols,鈥� he said during an interview on CTV鈥檚 Question Period airing Sunday.
鈥淗ate is being emboldened ... hate is very much like a fire. Once it鈥檚 allowed to take hold, it spreads and it starts consuming everything.鈥�
He said hate symbols are appearing in public more frequently in Canada, most recently at the trucker convoy protests in downtown Ottawa.
鈥淭here was a time in the States with Trump where that certainly was happening and now we鈥檙e seeing some of that resurging here. To imagine swastikas, to imagine the Confederate flag, and KKK kind of paraphernalia in Canada. Those two other symbols were in this protest鈥t鈥檚 just something that we don鈥檛 want to see in Canada,鈥� he said.
If the legislation passes, anyone who is found to have contravened the law could face a prison sentence of a maximum of two years. It would amend of the Criminal Code, which already bans the public incitement of hatred and the wilful promotion of hatred.
In the same interview, Singh said both the Conservatives and the Liberals are treating the escalating convoy tensions as a 鈥済ame鈥� to score political points.
鈥淚 think on both sides 鈥� the Conservatives are clearly using this, they鈥檙e weaponizing this convoy, they鈥檙e using it for political gain. The Liberals are also not innocent here, they鈥檙e also looking at this as a wedge issue,鈥� he said.
Singh added that the Conservatives specifically are 鈥渆mboldening鈥� some of the worst of what鈥檚 been seen at the protests.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not making it clear that it鈥檚 wrong to have organizers of this to be openly divisive and hateful,鈥� he said.
Several Conservative MPs, including interim leader Candice Bergen, have attended the rally and taken photos with members of the convoy.
However, Bergen has denounced racist behaviour and violent acts occurring as a part of the protests.
Members of the Black parliamentary caucus issued a statement Friday about the protests, also calling for the banning of symbols of 鈥渉ate and terror.鈥�
鈥淲e are disturbed and alarmed by the protests of the past days in Ottawa and Gatineau. The 鈥楩reedom Convoy'鈥� protest became an opportunity for White supremacists and others with extreme and disturbing views to parade their odious views in public,鈥� the statement reads.
鈥淭hese displays of hatred and violence offend Canadians and have no place in our country.鈥�
