The EPS is aware and will be present at the "1 Million March for Children" demonstration to monitor the event, ensure public safety and order, and mitigate traffic issues.

While police officers are sworn to uphold the Criminal Code, they are also sworn to uphold the rights of Canadians that are enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Upholding both sets of laws can be a delicate task, but the EPS always works to ensure that a balance is struck.

The EPS takes hate-motivated crimes and incidents seriously, and supports our community’s right to live free from hate. Should offensive symbols appear and/or hate-related incidents take place during an event or protest, police will investigate whether the incident meets the threshold of the hate provisions laid out in the Criminal Code of Canada and will lay charges where appropriate. In these situations, officers will seek legal advice and consult with the EPS Hate Crimes Unit to determine whether charges are possible.

Hate incidents can now be reported to police online. Hate crime should be reported to police at 911 if it’s an emergency, or 780-423-4567 if it is not an emergency. For more information about the difference between hate-motivated incidents and hate-motivated crime, visit our page.