NEWS
Monday, March 9, 2015 3
The Conservative’s Oppressive Bull’s-eye
on People Associated with Social Differences
Bill C-51 and Bill C-279 as Obstacles for the Progression
of Social Justice in Canada
simmy sahdra › contributor
T
he l aw can be used as a tool to empower
people associated with social differences—
which pertain to the social construction and
intersectionality of gender, sexuality, race,
ability, class, and caste in society—but it can can also
be used to further oppress people associated with
social differences. The actions of the current federal
government demonstrated through Bill C-51 and Bill
C-279 represent the use of the law to further marginalize and oppress people associated with social
differences. Though the values of the Conservative
government have always been transparent, some
especially clear signals have recently been communicated through the ways in which deeply problematic
bills have been amended and are progressing.
The progression of Bill C-51, the anti-terrorism
bill, is immensely troubling; many of its social justice implications have been discussed in the media.
The recent open letter addressed to all members
of Parliament, signed by more than one hundred
Canadian professors of law and related disciplines,
clearly displays their profound concerns with regard
to Bill C-51 and urges for it to be amended or killed.
However, the Senate Committee’s amendments
to Bill C-279, the federal transgender rights bill,
have not figured as prominently in media coverage.
These amendments limit the bill’s effectiveness. Many
transgender activist groups and other human rights
organizations, including Amnesty International, are
a part of the Trans Equality in Canada Coalition and
have stated that there is no way they could support
the amended Bill C-279.
Thus, the recent progression of law under the
Conservative government seems to be targeting
people associated with social differences, and illustrates alarmingly problematic issues for the furtherance of social justice in Canada.
Bill C-51, the Conservatives’ proposed anti-terrorism legislation, is overly broad in scope and creates legal justification for potential social injustices.
For example, the vast sc