Professor Richard Moon provided comment in a June 19 CBC Toronto article about an Oshawa store selling products that symbolize hate on their website.
According to the article, the owner of a military surplus store in Oshawa, says he didn’t know Nazi and Confederate flag items were for sale on his website. The owner continues to say that a third-party listed the products on his site without his knowledge.
Professor Moon says while the sale of Nazi or Confederate flag products is concerning, it isn't illegal.
He says it doesn't fall under the Criminal Code's definition of a hate crime, which the public incitement of hatred or wilful promotion of hatred — communicating statements in public that incite hatred against an identifiable group that will likely lead to a breach of the peace, or communicating statements, other than in private conversation, that promote hatred against a group.
"It's actually not an easy process to commence the Criminal Code prohibition on hate speech," Moon said.
Read the full article on CBC Toronto's website.