Bill C-304 Passes Third Reading

It's hard to believe that, following a year-long filibuster at the second reading, the remaining stages would take less than a week. But, according to the Parliament website, that's exactly what happened: Bill C-304 was reported today without amendment and passed third reading soon thereafter.

Brian Lilley confirms the news on his blog:

As I write this I am still only being updated by text message on the proceedings in the Senate chamber but I am told Bill C-304 has passed third reading and will receive Royal Assent tonight making it law.

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So it took over 5 years - 5 years and 5 months to be precise, from the day Keith Martin, then MP for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, introduced his famous motion M446 to repeal section 13 of the "human rights" Act, to the day the bill, which repeals the abusive section, made its way past the final reading. And then there's another year for the bill to come into force.

Yes, the bill only takes effect "on the day that is one year after the day on which it receives royal assent". So, technically, section 13 is still there, though its days are numbered. And it won't be this Canada Day, but next Canada Day, when we could finally say:

I am a Canadian, a free Canadian,
free to speak without fear,
free to stand for what I think right,
free to oppose what I believe wrong...

...Without worrying about a freedom-snatching committee with "human rights" in its name coming to persecute me for speaking my mind on a controversial subject, for disagreeing with a special interest group, if not for merely hurting someone's feelings...

Just 366 more days, ladies and gentlemen.

One More Step Towards Protecting Freedom

Bill C-304 that repeals the ill-famous section 13 of the "human rights" Act, has finally passed second reading in the Senate.

Well, it's about time. The debate took 1 year and 2 weeks - much longer than what would be reasonably needed to discuss all the pros and cons. At some point it almost looked like the supporters of the bill themselves weren't sure if it would pass the vote - especially with a few "Red Tory" Senators siding with the opposition and pledging to vote against the bill. Yet, when it came to recorded votes, bill C-304 passed with nearly 2:1 margin.

Hopefully it won't take that long for the bill to complete the remaining stages (the committee and the third reading,) so that we could finally start the countdown towards the day when the abusive section 13 will be gone. That, by the way, will only happen a year after bill C-304 receives Royal Assent.