Liberals Move to Add ‘Clarifying Language’ to Hate-Speech Bill to Address Religious Exemption Concerns

Liberals Move to Add ‘Clarifying Language’ to Hate-Speech Bill to Address Religious Exemption Concerns
Patricia Lattanzio, parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 18, 2025. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang
|Updated:
0:00

The Liberal government has proposed adding a clause to its hate speech legislation that it says will address concerns about religious speech being classified as incitement to hatred.

The House of Commons justice committee is currently studying Bill C-9, also known as the Combatting Hate Act, which aims to create new criminal offences associated with intimidation and the obstruction of access to places of worship. It also seeks to create a new offence for the intentional promotion of hatred through the public display of specific symbols.