Ontario Bill to add gender to list of protected groups under Criminal Code of hate crimes

A Private Member's Bill has been introduced that will allow attacks on women to be treated as hate crimes under the Criminal Code. I am confused here though, are they asking to add gender to the list of protected groups, or to add women? :

On January 17, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), (a coalition of trustees, principals, teachers, students, parents, and police) made a public appeal to the Federal Minister of Justice to amend the Criminal Code public incitement of hatred laws to conform to Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, thereby granting protection to girls and women.

On Thursday, April 19, 2007, Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre) will re-introduce a motion in the House of Commons requesting all party support for Bill C-254, his Private Member’s Bill that adds gender to the identifiable groups protected under the Criminal Code law on public incitement of hatred. Currently, the law protects those groups identified by colour, race, religion, ethnic origin and sexual orientation.

In commenting on Bill C-254, Ken Coran, president of OSSTF said, “As an active member of the media violence coalition and as educators, we understand that prevention is key to stopping the effects of media violence but we also believe that leaving women out of the current law on public incitement of hatred is just plain wrong.”

Adding, “OSSTF is proud to add its name to the long list of individuals and organizations that have been calling for this change. We believe that leaving women and girls off the list compromises their safety and this amendment is long overdue.


From OSSTF website