Canadian Catholic Bishops Write to Prime Minister re: Proposed Restrictions on Religious Freedom

The Liberal government has reached an agreement with the Bloc Québécois concerning an amendment to eliminate the religious exemption clause from Canada’s hate speech legislation in Section 319 (3) (b) of the Criminal Code. This initiative is intended to garner support for Bill C-9, titled ‘An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime, and access to religious or cultural places).’ The current provision in the Criminal Code slated for removal states: “(3) No person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (2) […] (b) 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.”

Bill C-9 has passed the first and second readings and it is now undergoing review by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, with the latest proposed amendment, referenced above, subject to a vote possibly as early as December 4, 2025.

Given all that could be at stake if the amendment passes, the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, with other government officials in carbon copy.

You can access the full letter here.

Source: www.cccb.ca