Bill C-9 tightens hate speech rules. It proposes new Criminal Code offenses and ditches the religious exemption. One key part would make it a crime to promote hatred in public against identifiable groups intentionally, especially by using symbols linked to hate or terrorism.
The foreigners who have come in want a harsh criticism shutdown.
The Liberal government didn’t pass this bill on its own. It needed support, and received one from the very left-wing Bloc Québécois. The Bloc insisted on a major change: removing a long-standing religious exemption in Canada’s hate speech laws. The leftist Liberals agreed, and that gave them the needed votes. As a result, Conservatives and the NDP both voted against the legislation.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) has welcomed the passage of Bill C-9 in Canada’s House of Commons. CoHNA said it is now looking ahead to the next stage, as the bill moves to the Senate for further review and voting. The group claims there is a rising Hinduphobia in Canada,” the group said.
No Religious Exemption
Right now, Canada’s Criminal Code allows a defense in hate speech cases if someone, “in good faith,” is expressing an opinion on religion or based on religious texts. The new change would remove that protection.
The Criminal Code currently includes an exemption for hate speech, “if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text.”
That’s gone from the bill.
Conservatives strongly opposed it, calling the move an “assault” on religious freedom. Several religious groups have also raised concerns. Civil liberties organizations, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, have also spoken out. They argue the bill could even criminalize peaceful protest or silence unpopular opinions.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser has defended the bill and the changes. He has repeatedly said the law is not meant to target religion or belief. He said religious leaders can read sacred texts and defend them. A similar bill in Finland has gotten around that so-called assurance and criminalized the defense of the Holy Bible.
Conservatives and several religious groups raised concerns. Civil liberties groups, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, have also raised concerns about the bill, arguing it could criminalize peaceful protest and silence unpopular expression.
It has cleared the House and is now in the Senate.
Canada probably suffers from the same problem as the US, where the fastest-growing “religion” is atheism.