TORONTO — Ontario’s New Democrats intend to table legislation today aimed at fighting Islamophobia and other hate crimes.

The official Opposition party says its bill would establish a provincial review of hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents that happen in Ontario.

It would also designate safe zones around houses of worship, prevent white supremacist groups from registering as societies and establish an anti-racism council that would give input on government policies.

The bill comes after calls for legislation to take concrete action against Islamophobia.

Four members of a Muslim family were killed by a truck in London, Ont., last June in an attack police allege was motivated by hate and another man was stabbed and killed outside a Toronto mosque in 2020.

The NDP’s bill was created with the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2022. 

The Canadian Press

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