Canada has implemented measures to combat hate propaganda, in particular article 318 of the criminal code, which provides that: “(1) anyone advocates or foment on the genocide is guilty of a criminal act liable to maximum imprisonment of five years. (2) In this article, genocide means one or other of the following acts committed with the intention of completely or partially destroying an identifiable group, namely: a) the fact of killing members of the group; b) The fact of deliberately submit the group to living conditions capable of leading to its physical destruction. […] ».
Posted at 5:00 p.m.
Eugène Czolij President of the NGO Ukraine-2050, Ukraine Honorary Consul in Montreal, President of the Ukrainian world Congress (2008-2018)
On April 12, 2022, former American president Joe Biden described the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine as “genocide” as “genocide” and explained: “I called this a genocide because he became more and more clear that Putin simply tried to eliminate even the idea of being Ukrainian. The evidence accumulates. »»
Then, on April 27, 2022, the House of Commons of Canada unanimously adopted a motion recognizing that “the Russian Federation commits acts of genocide against the Ukrainian people”, in particular: “(ii) systematic cases of voluntary murders of Ukrainian civilians and desecration of corpses […] (iv) acts of torture and the imposition of living conditions causing serious suffering ”.
Ten months later, on February 23, 2023, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion declaring that “like the Chamber of Commons of Canada, it denounces the genocidal acts committed against the Ukrainian people who were reported by the media”.
In addition to Canada, several countries have also recognized this genocide in progress by appropriate laws of their parliaments, notably Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Republic of Ireland and the Czech Republic.
The genocide constitutes such a horrible crime that the first human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly was the Convention on Genocide.
On December 9, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention for the Prevention and Repression of the Crime of Genocide, ratified by 153 Member States, of which Canada, which undertook not only to punish the crime of “genocide”, but also to prevent it. Indeed, article 1 of the Convention on the Genocide provides that: “The contracting parties confirm that the genocide, whether committed in peacetime or in wartime, is a crime of the law of people, which they undertake to prevent and punish. »»
Disinformation and other tactics
Consequently, no one in Canada should be authorized to recommend or foment a genocidal war with impunity currently by Russia against Ukraine.
Russia uses disinformation and various other tactics in its efforts to justify its invasion of Ukraine. For example, the letter “Z “Has become a recognizable symbol of support for the genocidal war waged by Russia against Ukraine.
Consequently, in Germany, the use of the letter “Z” as a symbol to express its support for the total war waged by Russia against Ukraine is punishable by criminal sanctions.
Canadian authorities should also ensure that Russia’s imperialist plans, which are large -scale and constitute today the most serious threat to world security, are neither recommended nor fomented in Canadian cities under any pretext whatsoever, including during the events of the “Immortal Regiment” commemorating the day of the victory of May 9.
Any clear public demonstration of support for the genocidal war waged by Russia against Ukraine, including the use of symbols such as letter “Z”, should be processed in accordance with Canadian legislation in force against hateful propaganda, including article 318 of the Criminal Code.
Other countries with similar legislation should also apply it to prevent anyone from advocating or fomenting genocide.What do you think? Take part in the dialogue
