Combatting Hate Law vs. Christian Canadians

The Legislative Trio of Treachery: C-22, C-9, and C-34

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By James Pew

21 bills have been rushed through the House of Commons in just 14 weeks, while a cluster of civil-liberties concerns emanating from the same Liberal government in the same legislative window are currently menacing Canadians as Carney and his elite cohort continue to pull the country further into the depths of authoritarianism. Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, has already received royal ascent, while C-22 and C-34 are steadily working their way through the legislative process. Below is the first of a three part essay series analyzing “The Legislative Trio of Treachery.” Stay tuned for part two, which will examine bill C-22, and part three, which covers bill C-34. Below, in part one, we take a close look at Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.

It was just over a year ago, in January of 2025, when I published a fairly popular essay called Why Cultural Christianity?. In addition I have written in these pages several times concerning the ongoing persecution of Christians in Canada exemplified most alarmingly by over one hundred Christian churches vandalized and desecrated, with several dozen burned to the ground, some of them irreplaceable and priceless heritage sites. And lastly, I have done my best to point out as often as possible the vast media silence and negligent under-reporting that Christian persecution in Canada receives. I have argued that there exists in Canada an anti-Christian bias, casual hate and accepted double standards, but most often there is deafening silence concerning attacks on Christian institutions, and by extension the Christian Canadians who live their faith through them.

But all of the above has been inadequate. The problem is so incomprehensibly vast that I have fallen well short of giving it the attention it desperately needs. The same can be said regarding the mainstream and elite commentariat. This must change, so I must reassert, again, and probably not for the last time, a renewed and re-energized and doubly determined personal mission to examine and editorialize and offer productive ideas, potential solutions, and to contribute much more frequently to the pro-Christian discourse. Let it be my Christian ministry to defend Canada’s Christian culture, as I began earnestly in January of 2025 when I asked readers Why Cultural Christianity?.

This brings us to the matter at hand: Bill C-9, The Combatting Hate Act — a law which significantly impacts how hate speech converges with religious expression.

Among other things, Bill C-9 both broadens the definition of “hate,” and includes a new hate-crime add-on (discussed below) which increases penalties for adjacent crimes. However, critics point out that hate laws often contravene freedom of religion, speech, and of the press. And they are often ill-defined which leaves Canadians susceptible to governments and judges who can interpret and apply these laws to silence views they don’t approve of.

The Combatting Hate Act refines and expands the codified definition of “hatred” to “an emotion of an intense and extreme nature that is clearly associated with vilification and detestation.” A somewhat fuzzy definition which raises a number of questions, like how the law will determine which specific emotions, and at what level of intensity, are experienced by suspected hate criminals during alleged incidences of hate. In addition to this, the law reduces oversight of police action, by not requiring provincial attorney generals to approve some offences.

While “advocating genocide” is included as an offence under the Combatting Hate Act, it is already in the criminal code under section 318. During the legislative process, the Liberals tried to remove the attorney general consent provision, the conservatives argued successfully that it should stay. AG consent was restored essentially making the offence of “advocating genocide” under the Combating Hate Act no different than how it has been applied for years under the criminal code. It’s telling that the Liberals are so motivated to remove checks and balances provided by provincial attorney generals.

Another offence included is the “wilful promotion of hatred / wilful promotion of antisemitism (Holocaust denial).” This is an amendment of criminal code section 319(2) & (2.1). This offence still requires provincial attorney general approval.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the new law is that it repeals the old law’s “good faith religious opinion” defence. This essentially over-rules religious doctrine. If police and judges feel you promoted hate, when all you really did was follow or speak on the tenets of a protected religion, it will not be possible to make the argument that you were simply practicing your faith as it has been practiced historically. Considering the widespread, mainstreamed bias against Christians in Canada, it comes as no surprise that Christian groups might be critical of C-9.

In addition to the above, new offences have been added. “Wilful promotion of hatred by publicly displaying certain symbols,” makes it prosecutable to display (a) a symbol principally used by/associated with a “listed entity” (i.e., a listed terrorist organization); (b) the Nazi Hakenkreuz, Nazi double Sig-Rune (”SS bolts”), or a noose; (c) anything closely resembling those. Indictable (max 2 years) or summary. Considered a legitimate defence for displaying these symbols are the following: journalism, education, or art, or good-faith display for the purpose of pointing out hateful material for removal. AG consent is required here as well.

Also new is the “Hate-motivated crime” offence which tacks onto any existing criminal code offence, or any other federal offence, motivated by hatred based on race, national/ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental/physical disability, or sexual orientation/gender identity or expression. Here is perhaps the loosest part of the law. Adding an ill-defined hate-motivated crime on top of a separate crime, is both redundant and leaves too much discretion to police (and interpretation to judges), since this offence does not require provincial attorney general approval. The lack of oversight increases the potential for this law to be politicized and abused.

More straightforward are the two remaining new offences, 1) “Intimidation to impede access to a place of worship,” and 2) “Obstruction or interference with access to those same places.” These forbid engaging in conduct intended to provoke fear in someone to stop them from accessing a building/structure primarily used for religious worship, or by an identifiable group for administrative/social/cultural/sports activities, as an educational institution or daycare, or as a seniors’ residence — or a cemetery. Also included is a proscription against intentionally obstructing or interfering with someone’s lawful access to the places mentioned. While these two offences are generally positive and necessary additions to the law, the lack of attorney general oversight is again a big cause for concern.

Christian leaders are rightly worried over the expanded but still fuzzy definition of hate, the lack of attorney general oversight, and the removal of the religious exemption defense. The new law essentially leaves it to the mood of the courts to either support or denounce matters of Christian practice and doctrine. It has been argued that simply reading the bible (a book so far not illegal), will not trigger charges under the Combatting Hate law, however, when one reads aloud from the scriptures one potentially exposes oneself to a hate crime offence in which a religious expression defense has essentially been rendered void.

One might be forgiven for suspecting that this new law paints Christians into a corner by forcing them into an impossible choice. Traditional Christian teachings on matters of sexuality for example run against the “born this way” conception of homosexuality. While affirming the trans identity of a youth is to claim a significant flaw exists in God’s design. Christians can either break from doctrine to mouth support for LGBTQ identity politics, or they can break the law and stand by the gospels. However, more likely, which seems to be much the point of the bill, Christians will withdraw from the discourse and remain silent. Another brick in Canada’s wall of Christian persecution and marginalization.

While Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller claimed that certain verses of the Bible are hateful, Alberta premier Danielle Smith recently expressed a concern held by many Christians, saying she did not want to see authorities “monitoring” religious gatherings or expressions of faith. And last week, independent journalist Nico Lagan asked the following pertinent question concerning the way C-9 was being discussed by the Liberals and their legacy media backers:

“Do you think it’s a coincidence that our government only talks about ‘religious hatred’ toward Jewish and Muslim communities but not Christians, when over 100 churches have either been vandalized or completely burned to the ground?” then followed with “Imagine the outrage if the same happened to over 100 synagogues or mosques…”

Indeed, just imagine.

So, how can Christians fight back? There is a way. It calls for a new crusade and a so-called “muscular” form of Christianity. And it involves vociferous and unapologetic public proclamations of Christian beliefs — they can’t arrest us all! Read the Bible, speak the Bible, thump the Bible, live the Bible. Spread the gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ. Help save souls. Bring new inspiration and energy to your communal gatherings, liturgical practices, and acts of service. Never second guess God’s gifts and divine word. Show the world how to walk with Jesus, and hold fast to your faith.

Stay tuned for the next essay on the nefarious Bill-C22, The Lawful Access Act / Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act.

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Thanks for reading. For more from this author, read Carney’s Spark Fizzles While Trump’s Fuse Ignites A Nation

Also, James has begun publishing a series of essays which explains Trump’s agenda for Canadians. There are three essays so far:

1. Canada Recedes While America Booms.

2. The American System vs. The Rules Based Order

3. The History of the American System

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