Repeal section 7 of British Columbia’s Human Rights Code

To AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca,

The Honourable Niki Sharma, K.C.
Attorney General of British Columbia
Ministry of Attorney General
Parliament Buildings, Room 232
Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 1X4

Dear Minister Sharma,

RE: Repeal section 7 of British Columbia’s Human Rights Code

I am writing to urge your government to repeal section 7(1) of British Columbia’s Human Rights Code, RSBC 1996, c 210, which grants the BC Human Rights Tribunal broad authority to regulate lawful speech and political expression.

British Columbia’s Human Rights Code plays an important role in prohibiting genuine discrimination in employment, housing, public services, and other areas of civic life. These protections are already addressed through sections 8 to 14 of the Code, which prohibit discriminatory conduct in accommodation, employment, wages, services, tenancy, and related matters.

Section 7(1) is fundamentally different. It prohibits publishing or displaying any statement, notice, symbol, or other representation that indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate, or that is likely to expose a person or group to hatred or contempt because of a protected characteristic.

Unlike the rest of the Human Rights Code, section 7 regulates speech itself rather than discriminatory conduct. In recent years, this provision has increasingly been used to investigate and penalize Canadians for expressing lawful opinions on controversial social and political issues. In one recent case, the BC Human Rights Tribunal ordered former Chilliwack School Board Trustee Barry Neufeld to pay $750,000 over comments criticizing gender ideology policies in schools.

Repealing section 7 would not legalize discrimination. Sections 8 through 14 of the Human Rights Code would continue to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, services, and public accommodations. Nor would repeal affect the Criminal Code prohibition on the wilful promotion of hatred under section 319.

I therefore urge you and all Members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to support legislation repealing section 7(1) of the Human Rights Code.

British Columbia should lead the way in protecting both genuine human rights and freedom of expression.

Sincerely,