Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd.
ONTARIO, CANADA, March 19, 2005: The B’nai Brith in Canada has been lobbying to add the following changes to the Criminal Code of Canada, “To make Holocaust denial a hate crime, for racist groups and symbols to be banned and for public schools to adopt zero-tolerance policies for hate, anti-Semitism and racism.” Paula Banerji, a Manitoba Hindu, responds to the proposed new law, “I am not anti-Semitic. I do believe the Holocaust happened and don’t want it to happen again. But that doesn’t mean you denegrate another religion’s symbol or have it banned.” Paula is referring to the swastika that has been part of the Hindu tradition for thousands of years. Paula adds that many Hindus wear the symbol around their neck for good luck. Therefore Manitoba Hindus are concerned that the proposed new law would put them in a precarious position. Spokeman for the B’nai Brith, David Matas, says, “The organization isn’t talking about an outright ban of the swastika, just its use in certain contexts. What we’re talking about is a law for the prohibition of use of symbols to portray or incite hatred. That wouldn’t include Hindus painting a swastika on a temple wall during a religious ceremony.”