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Canada\u2019s dominant Liberal Party has introduced legislation that may soon make Christian speech illegal. <\/p>\n
In March, the Canadian House of Commons passed Bill C-9, also known as the \u201cCombatting Hate Act.\u201d The bill was introduced under the guise of mitigating antisemitic attacks in the wake of Hamas\u2019 violent attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Liberals claimed it was developed to protect religious communities, but C-9 eagerly expanded to prohibit public displays of \u201chate,\u201d including<\/a> \u201cIslamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia.\u201d The Canadian Liberals have used so-called hate speech as a Trojan horse to enact censorship laws \u2014 the same thing American Democrats are<\/a> trying<\/a> to do here.\u00a0<\/p>\n C-9 intentionally uses vague language, allowing \u201chatred\u201d to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Canada\u2019s DOJ has admitted<\/a> as much, stating, \u201cThe penalty for the new hate crime offence would reflect the harm caused by the illegal act.\u201d Under C-9\u2019s broad definitions, public prayers and Bible recitation could conceivably be prosecuted as criminal offenses if they\u2019re determined to be \u201chateful.\u201d Violators could face up to a decade behind bars.<\/p>\n The \u201cCombatting Hate Act\u201d reportedly removes a portion of the religious defense previously found in section 319(3)(b) of the Canadian Criminal Code, which states<\/a>, \u201cNo person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (2) if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text.\u201d The \u201cgood faith\u201d was protection for religious principles.\u00a0<\/p>\n C-9 creates a gaping loophole for anti-religious lawfare. The bill explicitly aims to \u201cstreamline\u201d judicial \u201chate crime\u201d proceedings by removing the requirement that all \u201chate propaganda charges\u201d first be approved by Canada\u2019s attorney general. This strips any semblance of law enforcement oversight, empowering individuals to inflict their anti-religious dogmas on anyone they deem \u201chateful.\u201d<\/p>\n Canada has a history of legislating away its citizens\u2019 freedoms. In 2017, Bill C-16<\/a> made \u201chate speech\u201d against transgender-identifying Canadians a crime. Criminal complaints can be filed against someone who repeatedly uses biologically correct pronouns for a person who claims to be the opposite sex.\u00a0<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s weak protections for speech and religious exercise have diverged from the United States\u2019 historically much stronger safeguards, but today\u2019s Democrats threaten to take America down the same dangerous path. In the 1970s, Canada introduced laws barring people from using telephones and later the internet to promote so-called hate speech. Though some of these laws have since been repealed, the country\u2019s mission to counter \u201chate\u201d is still in motion. In 2019, Canada\u2019s then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Cabinet ministers to crack down on online \u201chate speech\u201d in reaction to the political right.<\/p>\n In just a few decades, Canadians\u2019 freedom of speech and religious liberties have declined dramatically. While both C-9 and C-16 might sound extreme and far from home, American politicians have pursued similar legislation under the guise of safety, social stability, and inclusion. <\/p>\n In 2025, the California Legislature introduced SB 771, which would have targeted social media companies for \u201cacting as algorithmic accomplices\u201d to content leading to a \u201chate crime.\u201d Tech companies thought to be amplifying \u201chate speech\u201d could have faced millions of dollars in civil penalties for each infraction. The governor vetoed the pro-censorship bill, but it passed through the state Senate and Assembly, meaning a majority of lawmakers endorsed the legislation.\u00a0<\/p>\n In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law forcing social media companies to allow users to report online \u201chate speech.\u201d Further, the tech companies were required to respond to each report or pay fines. The New York Legislature also introduced<\/a> bills that would require the tech giants to enable users to report so-called misinformation about vaccines and elections \u2014 aka, information that threatens Democrat narratives.<\/p>\n U.S. leaders have also attempted to prevent Christian worship services. During the 2020 Covid shutdowns, many churches were forcibly closed. In March 2020, Florida Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne was arrested<\/a> for violating a stay-at-home order and was shamed for holding regular church services. Several Christians in Idaho, including a church deacon, were arrested<\/a> after singing psalms in public without wearing masks. It wasn\u2019t until years later that the victims sued<\/a> the city. The era of Covid lockdowns has passed for now, but the muscle the government flexed against Christians hasn\u2019t atrophied. <\/p>\n Canada\u2019s descent into anti-Christian censorship should be a wake-up call for its American neighbors. Our national identities are distinct but similar. C-9 serves as a warning for Americans, encouraging us to be vigilant about protecting our rights. We mustn\u2019t surrender to the \u201ctolerance\u201d mob.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n Brooke Brandtjen is a writer and journalist from Wisconsin who focuses primarily on culture, politics, and religion. She is extremely passionate about the arts and history, and is honored to write for a variety of distinguished publications.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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