Withdraw Bill C-9
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect the right to read and share sacred texts free from government intrusion. The government responds that good-faith religious discussion remains protected by law.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would preserve religious freedom by preventing state decisions from restricting reading, teaching, or sharing of sacred texts.
- It avoids criminal liability and potential prison sentences (up to two years) for people expressing sincere religious beliefs.
- It reaffirms a boundary between government power and faith communities, limiting state intrusion into religious teachings.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Bill C-9 aims to address rising hate speech and hate crimes; withdrawing it could reduce legal tools to combat extreme or violent hate.
- The government says existing criminal thresholds and a clarifying clause already protect good-faith religious discussion, so full withdrawal may be unnecessary.
- Amending the bill to codify protections for good-faith religious expression might better balance free expression and hate prevention than scrapping the law.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal-Bloc amendment to Bill C-9, passed at the Justice Committee, removes the 'good-faith' religious defense clause from the Criminal Code of Canada; Bill C-9 would allow the government to criminalize passages from the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, and other sacred texts; Bill C-9 would allow the state to prosecute those who express deeply held religious beliefs the government finds offensive; The punishment for such charges is up to two years in prison; The state has no place in the religious texts or teachings of any faith community; Freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Therefore, we the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to: Withdraw Bill C-9; Protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government intrusion into faith.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Signed by THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY PATRICIA LATTANZIO The Government of Canada’s commitment to freedom of religion is unwavering. Freedom of religion is explicitly protected under section 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and has been consistently upheld by Canadian courts. All Canadians must be free to pray, preach, teach, interpret scripture, and express religious belief in good faith without fear of violence, intimidation, or criminal sanction. At the same time, Canada is facing a troubling rise in hate speech and hate crimes. To better protect all people in Canada, including their ability to worship, gather, and practise their faith in daily life, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, in the House of Commons on September 19, 2025. As part of its study of Bill C-9, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights adopted a motion to amend Bill C-9 which would repeal the defence in paragraphs 319(3)(b) and 319(3.1)(b) of the Criminal Code, often referred to as the good faith religious opinion defence. The defence currently applies to two hate propaganda offences: wilful promotion of hatred against an identifiable group (subsection 319(2)) and wilful promotion of antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust (subsection 319(2.1)). It may be invoked where a person, in good faith, expresses an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text. The motion has generated robust debate and consideration. Independent of the defence, the threshold for hate propaganda offences continues to be appropriately high. For the offence in subsection 319(2), the Crown must prove the accused intended to promote hatred against an identifiable group. Further, the expression must meet the Supreme Court of Canada’s definition of hatred: an extreme emotion involving vilification or detestation that goes beyond mere disdain or dislike, or statements that discredit, humiliate, hurt or offend. Religious sermons, texts and teachings delivered in good faith would not meet this standard. Removing the defence does not change the scope of conduct captured by the offence. In January 2026, the Minister of Justice hosted roundtable discussions with faith-based groups and Indigenous partners to better understand concerns around removing the defence, and to reiterate the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensuring that good faith religious expression remains fully protected. In addition, on March 11, 2026, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights adopted a clause for greater certainty in Bill C-9. This clause codifies in clear statutory language what has always been the case in Canadian law: that good faith religious, educational, political, or academic discussion on matters of public interest is not prohibited. The Government of Canada remains firmly committed to protecting religious freedom. A strong Canada safeguards every person’s right to worship freely and to share their faith, while ensuring that no one is subjected to the most extreme forms of hatred that threaten public safety, dignity, and social cohesion.