'Barbaric cultural practices' bill inflammatory, says Canadian Bar Association

The Canadian Bar Association is expected to speak before a House of Commons committee Tuesday to outline concerns about a proposed law that wouldbar people involved in polygamous relationships from immigrating to Canada.

The CBA has argued the proposed changes in Bill S-7 known as theZero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Actwouldprevent women and children forced intopolygamous relationships from immigrating to Canada.

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Lawyer Suzanne Costom, who is expected to testify before theStanding Committee on Citizenship and Immigrationon behalf of the CBA, said theworking title of the billis needlessly inflammatory.

"We do say that the title is divisive and misleading, and oversimplifies factors that contribute to discrimination and violence against women and children," she said.

We do say that the title isdivisiveand misleading, and oversimplifies factors that contribute to discrimination and violence againstwomen and children.- SuzanneCostom,Canadian Bar Association

"We find that the short titles being used have become more and more inflammatory and should, in fact, be sort of neutral and succinctly reflect the content of the bill rather than try and appeal to peoples' emotions."

The legislation, whichoriginated in the Senate,would make it illegal for anyone under 16 to get married, would explicitly require consent for marriageand allow for a peace bond to prevent someone from participating in forced or child marriage.

Itwould also make it illegal for someone to remove a child or non-consenting adult from Canada for the purpose ofmarriage.

Costom argued the proposed changes attempt to solve non-existentissueswhilecreatingnegative consequences.

"A) We're adjusting a problem that doesn't exist and B) you end up, potentially,creating consequences, which you never foresaw and which are not good consequences for the Canadian public," she said.

The bill passed its third reading in the Senate in December 2014and is now before the House of Commons.