SELECTED CASE LAW
QUEBEC:
In 2007 QCCQ 384, Mr. P, 27-year-old man, was operating a white supremacist website for just under a year that promoted the hatred of Black and Jewish people. The police were alerted to Mr. P when he downloaded music with hate speech. Upon searching his residence, Mr. P admitted to being the administrator of the site with the hate propaganda. The website contained language and symbolism common among white supremacist. The website provided access to a novel that is banned by Canada Customs for its hateful content, information on historic leaders of extreme rightist groups, homophobic content, violent and degrading imagery, and games involving killing Black people. He did not believe that most of the content was harming society in any way.
He pleaded guilty to hate propaganda during the trial, but did not express remorse. At sentencing the court noted: “The channel through which he disseminated his message, the Internet, can do extensive damage as it is able to reach a large audience, probably including members of the groups targeted by his remarks. Apart from the large number of times a song was down-loaded, however, there are no figures to measure the number of persons reached more specifically. This factor should therefore be taken into consideration, but its gravity has been mitigated.”[1] He was sentenced to six months’ incarceration, three years’ probation, and orders to not have contact with people who express racism or hatred, a prohibition from possessing or using devices to communicate over the internet, and a firearm ban.
[1] 2011 SKPC 47 at para 51.
Criminal Offence(s): Hate Propaganda