Liberal Members of Parliament on the House justice committee have supported a Bloc Québécois proposal to eliminate a religious exemption from hate speech laws in Canada. The Criminal Code currently allows for an exemption for hate speech related to religious subjects or beliefs expressed in good faith. During a recent meeting, the justice committee incorporated a Bloc amendment into the Liberals’ Bill C-9, also known as the Combatting Hate Act, to remove this religious exemption.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet revealed that his party had reached an agreement with the Liberals to introduce the amendment in exchange for backing C-9. However, progress was initially delayed after a committee meeting discussing the bill was unexpectedly canceled. According to sources, the delay occurred because Justice Minister Sean Fraser’s office brokered the deal with the Bloc without consulting the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Bloc has advocated for the removal of the religious exemption, arguing that it could be exploited to promote hate under the guise of religion, particularly against marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community and Jewish people. Blanchet emphasized that his party’s support for the bill was contingent on the inclusion of the amendment.
The Conservatives have opposed both the proposed amendment and the bill in its current form, with Leader Pierre Poilievre expressing concerns that the amendment could lead to the criminalization of sections of sacred texts like the Bible, Qur’an, and Torah. Various religious groups, including Catholics and Muslims, have also voiced apprehension, fearing that the amendment could restrict religious expression.
During a meeting, Conservative Members of Parliament criticized the lack of opportunity to hear from witnesses on the proposed amendment. Following the passage of the Bloc amendment, Conservative MPs filibustered the meeting, leading to its adjournment without completing the clause-by-clause study.
In response to the backlash, Justice Minister Sean Fraser clarified that the proposed amendment would not impede religious leaders from reading their religious texts, emphasizing that freedom of religion is protected under the Charter. Fraser highlighted that the exemption was redundant and stated there were no known instances where it had been used to acquit individuals accused of hate speech.
Bill C-9 aims to introduce new Criminal Code offenses, including one that criminalizes the intentional promotion of hatred against identifiable groups using specific hate- or terrorism-related symbols in public. The bill also seeks to establish hate-motivated crimes as a distinct offense and address intentional intimidation and obstruction outside sensitive locations like places of worship.
The legislation must pass the House’s third reading and navigate through the Senate before becoming law.