Several groups representing visible minorities in Quebec are upset over the hearings into the province's proposed hate-speech bill.
While the hearings for Bill 59 don’t begin for another month, of the 40 witnesses chosen to speak at public hearings, only one represents minorities.
Other groups on the list of witnesses represent women, cultural groups, the LGBTQ community and schools where bullying is an issue.
The list as it stands “does not reflect the values and the reality of diversity and of inclusion,” said Center for Research-Action on Race Relations Executive Director Fo Niemi.
“There may be a secret agenda of excluding some people because they don’t want to hear about racism, maybe they don’t want to hear about anti-Semitism or Islamophobia, but the process as it is right now is flawed and should be changed.”
