Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, takes part in the launch of Crime Stoppers, Report Hate campaign. Taken on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia

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Alberta has spent the past few weeks debating hate, racism and free expression. Taken together, three recent events raise an important question: When does hate matter enough for us to take it seriously?

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Earlier this month, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) encouraged people to report hate crimes and hate incidents. Premier Danielle Smith responded that free speech is a “foundational Alberta value” and said police priorities should focus on violent crime, drugs, theft and vandalism — not free speech. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said police should focus on violent crime rather than policing opinions or “hurt feelings.”

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I agree that freedom of expression is fundamental and police must prioritize public safety. But this debate created a false choice. Violent crime and hate crime are not competing priorities. Sometimes they are the same crime.

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At StopHateAB, we define a hate crime as a criminal offence against a person or property motivated, in whole or in part, by hate, bias or prejudice toward an identifiable group. It can include assault, uttering threats, criminal harassment, arson and murder.

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One comment highlighted by EPS read: “Hang him, slowly.” When that is the type of language being reported, are we really comfortable reducing this conversation to “hurt feelings?”

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Whether a comment meets the legal threshold of a threat or another offence is not for the person receiving it to determine. People should be able to report what happened and allow police to assess whether a crime occurred.

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Hate incidents are different. StopHateAB defines them as non-criminal actions against a person or property where the motive includes hate, bias or prejudice against an identifiable group or a victim’s real or perceived identity. Because they are non-criminal, police are limited in their ability to be involved. Reporting an incident does not turn lawful conduct into a crime.

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Last week, I joined StopHateAB executive director Nina Saini on Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen to discuss this distinction. I also raised another concern.

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Second Sons Canada, described in reporting as a white nationalist organization, recently held a gathering near Millarville. The community hall has said it did not know the nature of the group when it rented the facility.

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I found the contrast difficult to ignore. Alberta’s government reacted quickly and publicly to an EPS social-media post about reporting hate. I did not see the same urgency from provincial leaders when a white nationalist organization gathered in Alberta.

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In my opinion, groups like Second Sons come to Alberta because they increasingly feel welcome here. Political leaders cannot control who gathers here, but leadership matters. Words matter. Silence matters too.

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Then came Ian Parkinson.

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Parkinson, who served on the Southeast Alberta Regional Advisory Council, resigned following racist remarks. Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange responded that “racist or discriminatory comments are unacceptable and do not reflect our values,” and the government accepted his resignation.