Protect religious exemption in C-9
Petitioners ask the Government to reject removing the religious-exemption in Bill C-9, to preserve protection for good-faith religious expression. The government responds that the law and Bill C-9 protect good-faith religious discussion.
Why we would sign this petition
- It preserves religious freedom by keeping an explicit Criminal Code exemption, reducing the risk clergy, teachers or individuals could face prosecution for quoting or teaching sacred texts in good faith.
- It avoids a chilling effect on legitimate religious instruction, worship and academic study by removing legal uncertainty about non‑malicious religious speech.
- It defends Charter freedoms of religion and expression by ensuring legislation does not criminalize sincere, non‑malicious religious discourse.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Courts already apply a high threshold requiring deliberate intent to promote hatred, so good‑faith religious speech is unlikely to meet prosecution standards; the petition may overstate the risk.
- Keeping the exemption could hinder efforts to combat rising hate speech and hate crimes by preserving a broad carve‑out that might be invoked to justify harmful expressions.
- Parliament’s amendments and clarifying clause in Bill C‑9 aim to balance protections; rejecting them could impede legislative clarity about what constitutes unlawful hate speech.
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 GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS • Bill C-9 would amend the Criminal Code to address hate propaganda and hate crimes, but the Liberals are proposing an amendment to remove the religious exemption that protects good-faith expressions of beliefs based on religious texts. • Removing this exemption could criminalize Canadians for expressing sincerely held religious beliefs, undermining freedoms guaranteed by the Charter. • This change could lead to legal action against clergy, educators, and individuals for quoting or teaching from sacred texts without malice. THEREFORE We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reject any amendment to Bill C-9 that removes the religious exemption from Canada's hate speech provisions, protect Canadians' constitutional rights to freedom of religion and expression, and ensure legislation does not criminalize good-faith religious discourse or teaching.
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 are free to pray, preach, teach, interpret scripture, and express religious belief in good faith without fear of violence, intimidation, or criminal sanction. 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 Parliament’s consideration of this legislation, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights adopted an amendment on December 9, 2025, repealing what is commonly referred to as the good faith religious opinion provision in the Criminal Code. This amendment reflects longstanding legal principles already recognized by Canadian courts. Crucially, Canada’s hate propaganda laws already set a very high threshold. Prosecutors must prove a deliberate intent to promote hatred, which the Supreme Court of Canada has defined as extreme and dehumanizing expression that goes far beyond mere offence or disagreement. Only the most dangerous forms of hate, including speech that vilifies, dehumanizes, or incites harm against an identifiable group, are captured by the Criminal Code. Religious sermons, teachings, and the reading or sharing of sacred texts in good faith do not meet this standard and are not criminalized. 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.