Canada’s Ban on Belief: Why Citing the Bible Could Become a Crime

Canada: Hate Speech vs. Religious Censorship

Changes have been introduced gradually for a long time. However, the recently proposed amendments to Bill C-9 caused an uproar. Christians, Muslims, and Jews are sounding the alarm. They argue that the left-leaning Liberal government, while fighting hatred, is entering dangerous territory: severely restricting religious freedom and the right to proclaim one’s beliefs.

Striking at the Core of Religious Freedom

For years, many have considered Canada one of the countries where hate speech regulations rank among the most rigorous in the West. The state consistently prosecutes expressions it deems offensive, discriminatory, or inciting hostility—even without physical violence.

Despite this strict approach, Canadian law previously provided one key exception, which everyone recognized as the very foundation of religious liberty.

The Religious Clause is Slated for Elimination

Until now, Canadian law allowed religious-based expressions to be exempt from sanctions, provided the speaker made them in good faith. In practice, this meant that an individual citing the Bible, the Quran, or the Torah—even if the content caused offense—did not face automatic penalties. The state thereby acknowledged that expressing deeply held religious convictions does not equate to inciting hatred.

Now, the government plans to backtrack on this stance.

Canadian Authorities Push to Stiffen the Law

The planned changes will also encompass religious statements—regardless of context, intent, tradition, or doctrinal significance. Consequently, for many communities, this sends an alarming signal: the state is ceasing to differentiate between verbal aggression and the proclamation of faith principles that have existed for hundreds of years.

Christians Protest: Freedom of Worship at Risk

Although the bill formally applies to everyone, the three major faiths—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—may feel its effects most strongly. Why is this? They base their teachings on sacred texts that do not always align with today’s prevailing standards of political correctness.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, emphasizes that the Church does not defend hate speech. Yet, it simultaneously warns that the new provisions are so vague that authorities could wrongly deem religious teaching a crime.

The Bishops point to real consequences: fear among the faithful, self-censorship among clergy, and the gradual pushing of religion out of the public sphere.

Muslims Appeal: Do Not Change the Law

The Canadian Council of Imams expresses similar concerns. Islamic representatives caution that the new regulations could lead to arbitrary interpretations of religious statements and penalties based on subjective reception.

Therefore, their position is unequivocal: instead of changing the law, the government should leave the current regulations in place, which already allow authorities to prosecute genuine cases of hatred—without encroaching upon the realm of freedom of conscience and religion.

Jews Oppose: Focus on Better Enforcement

Jewish organizations present a more measured, yet equally critical, stance. They admit that opinions within their community are divided; however, they agree on one thing: the Charter of Rights and Freedoms must continue to protect religious freedom.

Representatives of the Jewish community note that the criminal law already sets a high threshold for defining speech as intentional promotion of hatred. Instead of introducing further amendments, the government, in their view, should focus on effectively enforcing existing legislation.

Canada: Hate Speech and Political Crisis

Despite the opposition, the government continues to push the bill forward. It has already passed two readings and been referred to committee work. Nevertheless, the governing coalition lacks a stable majority, which poses an obstacle.

The Liberal Party is supported by the Bloc Québécois, which introduced the amendment to Bill C-9, but the Conservative Party strongly blocks the changes, warning against penalizing religious quotes and state interference in matters of faith. The revelation that the agreement with the Bloc Québécois occurred without the Prime Minister’s knowledge further inflamed the situation.

The project, which was supposed to be a technical change to a bill on Canada’s hate speech legislation that has been in effect since September, became the center of a serious political crisis.

Is the Fight Against Hate Speech a Pretext?

Today, critics are asking directly: is Canada truly fighting hatred, or is it gradually restricting the space for religion? And one thing is certain: in this beautiful country, the proposed changes to the laws regarding Canada’s hate speech have just severely undermined trust between the government and religious communities.

Read this article in Polish: Kanada chce karać za cytowanie Biblii i Koranu. Wolność religijna na celowniku