Holocaust cited as debate rages on Canada security bill
A Canadian cabinet minister took the unusual step on Tuesday of citing the Holocaust as a reason Parliament should approve a tough new security bill, a sign of the increasingly bitter debate over the proposed law. Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney,pressed by a parliamentary committee about the hate speech clause, said the Holocaust had begun with words. Opposition legislator Randall Garrison asked Blaney to withdraw the remarks.
"I would assert that there is no equivalence to anything we're talking about here today to the Holocaust and at best the reference seems to trivialize the Holocaust," said Garrison, a member of the New Democrats. Blaney refused.
"I will tell you again – the Holocaust did not start in the gas chambers, it started with words, and that's the reason why it is important to respect Canadians' rights of freedom, but not to tolerate incitement to violence," he said.
