Don't get your knickers in a knot. Despite what some posters, pundits and politicians would have you believe, Motion 103 poses no threat to our freedom of speech. This basic right is enshrined in our constitution and cannot be overridden by statute - let alone a relatively innocuous motion in the House.

That said, the wording is questionable. Its stated purpose is 'to quell the increasing public climate of hate and fear'. But is it increasing? Not according to Stats Canada which reported a 17% decline in police-reported hate crimes. And while hate crimes against Muslims doubled, that number is still half or less the number of hate crimes against Jews....and there are three or four times as many Muslims in Canada as Jews. 

None of that diminishes the horrific nature of the mosque murders in Quebec and the importance of promoting tolerance. But singling out one religious group for attention implies somehow that acts of bigotry against the others is less concerning.