The Bloc Québécois is preparing to propose an adjustment to a bill by the Liberal government that aims to eliminate a religious exception in Canada’s hate speech laws, according to a source familiar with the matter. Currently, the Criminal Code contains a provision that allows for hate speech if it is done in good faith to express an opinion on a religious topic or a belief based on a religious text.
The Bloc is set to present the amendment to remove this section from the code as part of Bill C-9, also known as the Combatting Hate Act, during a detailed review at the House justice committee. The Bloc member, Rhéal Fortin, is part of the justice committee.
It has been reported that the Liberals may support the amendment to ensure the passage of C-9. However, this reported agreement has not been confirmed by CBC News.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser had previously expressed openness to the idea of exploring the removal of the religious exemption. He stated that if the majority of committee members agree to the change, he sees no issue with it.
Marc Miller, who was chairing the justice committee before his recent promotion to the cabinet, also indicated openness to removing the exemption. He emphasized that using religious texts to justify hate crimes should not be allowed.
Opposition from Conservatives has surfaced regarding the removal of the religious exemptions clause from the Criminal Code. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre raised concerns that the change could lead to criminalizing parts of religious texts.
Advocates have called for the withdrawal of the entire bill due to concerns about its impact on freedom of expression. The legislation includes new Criminal Code offenses targeting the promotion of hatred against identifiable groups using specific hate- or terrorism-related symbols.
Symbols like the swastika and SS lightning bolts from the Holocaust, as well as those associated with listed terrorist entities like the Proud Boys and Hamas, are included in the proposed legislation. It also aims to address hate-motivated crimes and acts of intimidation outside places of worship and sensitive institutions.
A coalition comprising civil liberties, community, and labor groups urged the government to retract the bill, citing concerns about its implications on free expression and assembly. The bill will undergo further review at the committee before a final vote in the House and then moving to the Senate.
