Committee Blocks Motion to Study Attacks on Houses of Worship

A House of Commons committee will not study criminal attacks against places of worship after the chair ruled it outside the committee’s mandate. Conservative MP Andrew Lawton’s motion to examine vandalism, arson, and shootings at religious sites was voted down by committee members. The chair suggested the topic would be more appropriate for the justice or public safety committees.

• A House of Commons committee voted 7-4 against studying vandalism, arson, and other criminal attacks on places of worship.
• The committee chair, Lisa Hepfner, ruled the proposed study fell outside the committee’s mandate, stating it dealt with the Criminal Code rather than heritage or identity.
• Conservative MP Andrew Lawton’s motion, introduced on Oct. 29, called for an examination of attacks against churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship across Canada.
• Lawton challenged the ruling, but the committee upheld the chair’s decision.
• The chair suggested the matter be brought to the justice or public safety committees instead.