Steyn went to the tribunal in Dec of 2007, thrown out by 2 tribunals in Oct 2008, which by my estimation is pretty damn quick for the judicial system up here...
As for the hate laws re both speech and publication here is the nuts and bolts of it
Sections 318, 319, and 320 of the Code forbid hate propaganda.[3] "Hate propaganda" means "any writing, sign or visible representation that advocates or promotes genocide or the communication of which by any person would constitute an offence under section 319."
Section 318 prescribes imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years for anyone who advocates genocide. The Code defines genocide as the destruction of an "identifiable group." The Code defines an "identifiable group" as "any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation."
Section 319 prescribes penalties from a fine to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years for anyone who incites hatred against any identifiable group.
Under section 319, an accused is not guilty: (a) if he establishes that the statements communicated were true; (b) if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text; (c) if the statements were relevant to any subject of public interest, the discussion of which was for the public benefit, and if on reasonable grounds he believed them to be true; or (d) if, in good faith, he intended to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters producing or tending to produce feelings of hatred toward an identifiable group in Canada.
Section 320 allows a judge to confiscate publications which appear to be hate propaganda.
We also have a small more sussinct section written into our charter of rights and freedoms which has been re-worked once or twice since it was invoked I'm thinkin round 1980 or so my memory fails me a bit...
And here it is...
The
Constitution of Canada incorporates the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
[1]Section 2 of the Charter grants to everyone, among other things, freedom of conscience and religion, and freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media.
Section 1 restricts the granted freedoms by making them subject "only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
I really can't disagree with any of it...especially since one of my buddies in downtown Toronto regularly gets filth publications in his mailbox for years by some idiot politician named 'Sears' essentially intimating in various ways that the holocaust never happened, yet this jackass words everything so carefully I assume that he has never been charged...