The minority Liberal government has struck a deal with Bloc Québécois to “eliminate long-standing Criminal Code safeguards for freedom of expression and religious freedom in exchange for the Bloc supporting Bill C-9,” according to the National Post.
Currently, the law exempts hateful or antisemitic speech if it based in good faith on the interpretation of a religious text, but that immunity is set to be removed. Additionally, the Liberals are expected to back off plans to eliminate the need for a provincial attorney general’s sign-off to pursue a hate-propaganda prosecution.
The removal of the religious exception clause is being driven by the Bloc Québécois, who have long sought to entrench cultural secularization. Months ago, the province of Quebec signaled their intention to introduce legislation to ban prayer in public. The Post continues:
Canada’s hate speech laws currently say people cannot be prosecuted for expressing, “in good faith,” an argument or opinion on a religious subject or “based on belief in a religious text.”
If this amendment is adopted and Bill C-9 is passed, people of faith could be imprisoned for up to two years for expressing deeply held religious convictions that the government finds offensive.
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said in a statement Monday “Speech that incites hatred is a criminal act, regardless of whether it is uttered under the guise of religion or not.”
Justice Critic Rhéal Éloi Fortin added “If we are serious about fighting hate, I think that… removing the religious exemption in the Criminal Code is important..We really need to clean up the criminal code and remove these kinds of exceptional defences, which are unacceptable.”
Conservative Part leader Pierre sounded the alarm after the Liberal chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee, Marc Miller, insisted that the bible contains passsages that are “clear hatred” and as a result prosuctors should be able to press charges.
“Clearly there are situations in these texts where these statements are hatefu. They should not be used to invoke or be a defence.”
Pollievre and the Conservatives woved to fight the removal of the exception.
