Motion 103

{{Short description|2017 non-binding Canadian Parliamentary motion}}

Motion 103, also known as M-103, was a non-binding motion in the 42nd Canadian Parliament stating that the members of the House of Commons called on the Government of Canada to condemn Islamophobia in Canada. It also called on the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to carry out a study on how racism and religious discrimination can be reduced and collect data on hate crimes. The motion was introduced by Iqra Khalid, the Liberal MP representing Mississauga—Erin Mills.

The motion passed by a vote of 201–91 on March 23, 2017.{{cite news|title=House of Commons passes anti-Islamophobia motion|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/m-103-islamophobia-motion-vote-1.4038016|accessdate=March 23, 2017|work=CBC News|date=March 23, 2017|language=en}} The debate surrounding the motion was characterized as "deeply divisive", especially within the Official Opposition Conservative Party of Canada which was in the midst of a leadership election.[http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/03/23/m-103-anti-islamophobia-motion-house-passes_n_15567120.html huffingtonpost.ca: "M-103: Anti-Islamophobia Motion Easily Passes House Of Commons"], 23 Mar 2017

Background

Iqra Khalid, a Liberal Party member of parliament, presented Motion 103 in the House of Commons on December 5, 2016.{{cite news|last1=Harris|first1=Kathleen|title=5 things to know about the Commons motion on Islamophobia|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/iqra-khalid-islamophobia-motion-1.3987668|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=CBC News|date=February 17, 2017}} Frank Baylis, another Liberal Party member of parliament, seconded the motion.{{cite news|last1=Akin|first1=David|title=Unhappy with anti-Islamophobia motion, Tories have their own condemning religious intolerance|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/rather-than-condemn-islamophobia-tories-would-condemn-all-religious-intolerance-and-racism|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=National Post|date=February 16, 2017}} The motion stemmed in part from e-petition E-411, which was exclusively about Islamophobia.[http://www.torontosun.com/2017/03/23/m-103-passes-and-now-the-islamophobia-study-begins torontosun.com: "M-103 passes and now the Islamophobia study begins"], 23 Mar 2017

The motion initially did not receive much attention. Then on January 27, six Muslims were killed in Quebec city and the motion became a priority for the Liberal government.{{cite news|author=Erica Vella|title=What happened to… the Quebec mosque shooting|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7820992/what-happened-to-quebec-mosque-shooting/|publisher=Global News|date=2021-05-06}} Motion 103 was debated on February 15, 2017.{{cite news|last1=Harris|first1=Kathleen|title=Liberal MP's anti-Islamophobia motion set for debate on Wednesday|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/m103-islamophobia-khalid-motion-1.3972194|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=CBC News|date=February 9, 2017}} The same day, Mélanie Joly, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, stated that the Liberal Party caucus was to support Motion 103.{{cite news|last1=Boutilier|first1=Alex|title=Liberal MP swamped by hate mail, threats over anti-Islamophobia motion in Commons|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/02/16/liberal-mp-swamped-by-hate-mail-threats-over-anti-islamophobia-motion-in-commons.html|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|date=February 16, 2017}}

Some incorrectly refer to it as a "bill or a law, out of confusion or deliberate attempts to spread misinformation". M-103 is a private member's motion, which is a "proposal moved by an MP to draw attention to an issue considered urgent or of public interest", and is not equivalent to a law.

Motion's text

Motion 103 calls on the government to "condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination", asks the government to "recognize the need to quell the increasing public climate of hate and fear", and request for the "Commons heritage committee to study how the government could develop a government-wide approach to reducing or eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination, including Islamophobia, and collect data to provide context for hate crime reports and to conduct needs assessments for impacted communities. Findings are to be presented within eight months." Khalid has been "unwilling to entertain any compromise on the specific wording" of Motion 103.{{cite news|last1=Spencer|first1=Christina|title=Spencer: Islamophobia motion has been reduced to an exercise in cynicism|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/spencer-islamophobia-motion-sows-disarray-among-tories|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|date=February 17, 2017}}

The exact text reads:

{{blockquote|Ms. Khalid (Mississauga—Erin Mills), seconded by Mr. Baylis (Pierrefonds—Dollard), moved, — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should:

(a) recognize the need to quell the increasing public climate of hate and fear;

(b) condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination and take note of House of Commons’ petition e-411 and the issues raised by it; and

(i) develop a whole-of-government approach to reducing or eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination including Islamophobia, in Canada, while ensuring a community-centered focus with a holistic response through evidence-based policy-making,

(ii) collect data to contextualize hate crime reports and to conduct needs assessments for impacted communities, and that the Committee should present its findings and recommendations to the House no later than 240 calendar days from the adoption of this motion, provided that in its report, the Committee should make recommendations that the government may use to better reflect the enshrined rights and freedoms in the Constitution Acts, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.|Private Members’ Business M-103}}

Debate

=Singling out Muslims=

Motion 103 has been accused of "singling out Muslims for special treatment", by condemning only Islamophobia by name and not explicitly mentioning other religious groups.{{cite news|last1=Gunter|first1=Lorne|title=The real threat behind M-103 is 'mission creep'|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2017/02/14/the-real-threat-behind-m-103-is-mission-creep|accessdate=February 20, 2017|agency=Edmonton Sun|publisher=Toronto Sun|date=February 14, 2017}} This argument was made by Pierre Lemieux, Kellie Leitch{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3256675/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-anti-islamophobia-motion-making-waves-in-ottawa/|title=What you need to know about the anti-Islamophobia motion making waves in Ottawa |website=Global News}} and two main Jewish organizations CIJA and B'nai B'rith Canada.{{Cite web |last=Shinewald |first=Benjamin |last2=Diamond |first2=Michael |date=2017-03-02 |title=Should Jews support M-103, a motion condemning Islamophobia? A CJN debate |url=https://thecjn.ca/opinion/perspectives/should-jews-support-m-103-a-cjn-debate/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=The Canadian Jewish News |language=en-US}}

Several previous motions in the House of Commons have singled out individual religions in a similar manner (for example, asking MPs to condemn anti-Semitism). Conservative MP Michael Chong pointed out that the House of Commons had previously passed motions that denounced hatred against Jews (on February 22, 2016), Yazidis (on October 25, 2016) and Coptic Christians (on October 17, 2011).{{cite news|title=Conservatives wrestle over Liberal MP's anti-Islamophobia motion|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/islamophobia-m103-khalid-motion-1.3982013}}

=Freedom of speech=

Others have accused M-103 of going against free speech{{cite news|last1=Gunter|first1=Lorne|title=The harassment of Khalid is wrong, but doesn't justify M-103|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2017/02/19/the-harassment-of-khalid-is-wrong-but-doesnt-justify-m-103|accessdate=February 20, 2017|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=February 19, 2017}} and leading to "blasphemy laws". This was argued by Conservative MP Brad Trost and evangelical Christian activist Charles McVety.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/hundreds-rally-against-motion-calling-on-canadian-government-to-condemn-islamophobia/|title=Hundreds rally against motion calling on Canadian government to condemn Islamophobia|website=Vice.com}}

Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose repudiated such claims and said: "To be clear, this is not a 'bill' nor a 'law'. It does not 'introduce Sharia law' as some people have suggested nor would it 'ban freedom of speech'."{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/02/15/motion-103-iqra-khalid-melanie-joly-liberals-tories_n_14776116.html|title=Liberals Back Motion Condemning Islamophobia, Despite Tory Concerns|date=February 15, 2017|website=HuffPost}} The Canadian Civil Liberties Association also said that M-103 does not restrict free speech in any way.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/02/23/transparent-double-standard-on-freedom-of-speech-kanji.html|title=Opinion | Transparent double standard on freedom of speech: Kanji|date=February 23, 2017|via=Toronto Star}}

=Hate crimes against Canadian Muslims=

An argument in support of the motion is that it addresses a "pressing issue". Statistics Canada data indicated that hate crimes against Muslims more than doubled in the three-year period between 2013 and 2016.{{cite news|first1=Anna|last1=Mehler Paperny|title=Hate crimes against Muslim-Canadians more than doubled in 3 years|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2634032/hate-crimes-against-muslim-canadians-more-than-doubled-in-3-years/|accessdate=May 3, 2017|work=Global News|date=April 13, 2016|language=en}} Canadians indicated the urgency of addressing this issue by signing a petition (with 70,000 signatures) condemning Islamophobia. Then in January 2017, 6 Muslims were killed in a mass shooting at a Quebec City mosque.

Iqra Khalid said that the death threats she has received, and the threats of violence that Canadian mosques have received, only serve to highlight how important it is for Parliament to condemn Islamophobia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/we-spoke-with-the-mp-behind-motion-m103-about-threats-conspiracies-and-islamophobia/|title=We Spoke With the MP Behind Motion M103 About Threats, Conspiracies, and Islamophobia|website=Vice.com}}

=Use of term Islamophobia=

Rona Ambrose and Lisa Raitt criticized the motion for its use of the term Islamophobia, which they described as "controversial". Many Conservative MPs said that the Liberals needed to define Islamophobia. On February 15, Iqra Khalid stated that the definition of Islamophobia is "the irrational hate of Muslims that leads to discrimination".{{cite news|title=Liberal MP won't remove Islamophobia reference from motion condemning discrimination|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/m103-islamophobia-joly-khalid-1.3983911}} Liberal Heritage Minister Melanie Joly similarly defined it as "discrimination against Muslim people and people that are of Muslim faith".{{cite news|title=MPs debate anti-Islamophobia motion|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mps-debate-anti-islamophobia-motion-1.3286588|publisher=CTV News}}

Protests

The M-103 debate provoked protests and counter-protests. On February 16, Rebel Media organized an anti-M103 rally at Canada Christian College.{{cite magazine|author=Tamara Khandaker|title=Hundreds rally against motion calling on Canadian government to condemn Islamophobia|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/hundreds-rally-against-motion-calling-on-canadian-government-to-condemn-islamophobia/|magazine=Vice}} Demonstrations organized by the Canadian Coalition for Concerned Citizens against M-103 were held on March 4, 2017 in several cities across Canada. In Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto demonstrations were attended by hundreds, while others in cities like Saskatoon, and London, Ontario were smaller.{{cite news|last1=Montpetit|first1=Jonathan|title=What we learned about the far right over the weekend|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/far-right-m-103-protest-what-we-learned-1.4010710|date=March 5, 2017|work=CBC News Montreal|accessdate=March 20, 2017|language=en}} Stephen Garvey, leader of the newly formed nationalist National Advancement Party of Canada, organized protests against M-103 in Calgary.{{cite news|last1=Brooks|first1=Anna|title=Protesters in Calgary clash over M-103 anti-Islamophobia motion|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/protesters-in-calgary-clash-over-m-103-anti-islamophobia-motion|accessdate=March 20, 2017|work=Calgary Herald|date=March 5, 2017}} Many of these demonstrations included contingents from far-right groups including La Meute, Pegida, and the Soldiers of Odin.

=Harassment of Khalid=

Khalid received over 50,000 emails, many of them described as "vicious, cruel and hateful", some of which she read aloud during the debate on M-103.

Parliamentary history

M-103 passed 201-91 in March 2017, with support from the Liberals and NDP. Some MPs, including Trudeau, were not present for the vote.{{cite news|title=MPs pass M-103 Thursday even as new poll says most Canadians would vote down anti-Islamophobia motion|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/m-103-islamophobia-motion-vote-1.4038016|publisher=CBC News}} All of the Conservative Party leadership candidates sitting in the House of Commons, with the exception of Michael Chong, announced their opposition to Motion 103.

Prior to that, on February 16, 2017, David Anderson, a Conservative member of parliament, had tabled an alternative motion.{{cite news|last1=Collenette|first1=Penny|title=Forget the White House, pay attention to our own House: Collenette|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/02/19/forget-the-white-house-pay-attention-to-our-own-house-collenette.html|accessdate=February 20, 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|date=February 19, 2017}} The difference in the motions is that Anderson's motion doesn't contain the word "Islamophobia" and asks the House of Commons to "condemn all forms of systemic racism, religious intolerance, and discrimination of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and other religious communities." Anderson's motion was defeated 165–126.{{cite news|last1=Stone|first1=Laura|title=Liberals vote down Conservative anti-racism motion|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-vote-down-conservative-anti-racism-motion/article34101879/|accessdate=February 21, 2017|publisher=The Globe and Mail|date=February 21, 2017}} The Conservative Party, Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party, and Green Party voted for the motion and the Liberal Party voted against the motion.

In response to the M-103 debate, Ontario Liberal MPP Nathalie Des Rosiers introduced a similar motion in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that called for the condemnation of Islamophobia.{{cite news|title=MPP wants Ontario legislature to hold its own debate on Islamophobia|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ont-legis-islamophobia-motion-1.3989744}} Des Rosiers' motion was supported by both the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and Ontario New Democratic Party,{{cite news|last=Ferguson|first=Rob|title=Patrick Brown says Ontario PCs will support anti-Islamophobia motion|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/02/21/patrick-brown-says-ontario-pcs-will-support-anti-islamophobia-motion.html|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=February 21, 2017|accessdate=September 22, 2017}} and was passed with a unanimous vote.{{cite news|title=Ontario legislature unanimously passes anti-Islamophobia motion|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-anti-islamophobia-vote-1.3996785|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=CBC News|agency=The Canadian Press|date=February 23, 2017|language=en}}

=Report=

In 2018, a House of Commons committee, recommended that January 29 (the day of the Quebec City mosque shooting) be recognized as a "national day of remembrance and action on religious discrimination, including Islamophobia." It also recommended developing policies and supporting more research on racism.{{cite news|title=Heritage committee calls for day of action on Islamophobia in M-103 report|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/heritage-committee-calls-for-day-of-action-on-islamophobia-in-m-103-report-1.3785247|publisher=CTV News|date=2018-02-01}}