The accused was charged with willfully promoting hatred against gay men under s. 319(2) of the Criminal Code after distributing anti-gay flyers at the 2016 Toronto Pride Parade.
The flyers contained graphic images and medical claims about the dangers of the 'homosexual lifestyle', alongside religious messaging.
The court found that while the flyers were offensive and contained exaggerations, they fell into the 'grey zone' between legitimate expression and hate speech, lacking the hallmarks of extreme vilification.
The court also found a reasonable doubt regarding the accused's specific intent to promote hatred, resulting in an acquittal.
