A controversial federal proposal is once again drawing scrutiny from Christians and other faith communities across Canada, as lawmakers debate Bill C-9, legislation critics warn could weaken longstanding protections for religious expression.
The bill returned to the agenda at a recent Justice Committee meeting, where Conservative Member of Parliament Andrew Lawton presented a petition signed by thousands of Canadians calling for its withdrawal.
“I am proud to rise on behalf of Canadians, including in my own constituency, who are alarmed by what the government is doing through Bill C-9 – a bill that they claim will protect communities from hate, but in actuality exposes faith communities to harm from the government for daring to express their faith and quote religious texts,” Lawton told the House of Commons, according to LifeSiteNews.
Lawton said the petitioners believe the legislation infringes upon religious liberty, particularly in light of comments made by Canada’s minister for Canadian Identity and Culture, Marc Miller. “The petitioners are very concerned by this infringement on religious liberty, which were aggravated of course by comments from the minister for Canadian Identity and Culture, arguing that there should be prosecution for citing certain religious texts,” Lawton continued. “So petitioners are calling on the government to withdraw Bill C-9 and focus on upholding freedom of expression and freedom of religion,” according to LifeSiteNews.
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The controversy intensified after remarks Miller made during prior Justice Committee discussions. Referring to biblical passages, he stated: “In Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Romans – there’s other passages – there’s clear hatred towards, for example, homosexuals,” according to LifeSiteNews. He added, “I don’t understand how the concept of good faith can be invoked if someone were literally invoking a passage from, in this case, the Bible – there are other religious texts that say the same thing – and somehow say that this is good faith.”
Miller further said, “Clearly there are situations in these texts where these statements are hateful. They should not be used to invoke, be a defense, and there should perhaps be discretion for prosecutors to press charges. I just want to understand what your notion of good faith is in this context where there are clearly passages in religious texts that are clearly hateful,” according to LifeSiteNews.
Although Miller has denied that he intends to prohibit religious texts, concerns persist among Christian leaders and legal analysts. At the Justice Committee, Lawton noted that a proposed amendment from Liberal MP Patricia Lattanzio would not substantially alter the bill’s legal effect. He stated that, according to the government’s own lawyer, the amendment “maintains the status quo,” LifeSiteNews reported.
The amendment reportedly seeks to clarify that the legislation would not criminalize worship, prayer, sermons, religious education, peaceful debate, good-faith reading and discussion of religious texts, or statements on matters of public interest, provided individuals do not “willfully promote hatred,” according to LifeSiteNews. However, critics argue the language leaves significant ambiguity and could still expose churches and pastors to legal risk.
Writing in a recent analysis highlighted by LifeSiteNews, Paul Carter of The Gospel Coalition warned that a key concern is the proposal to remove the requirement for a provincial attorney general to approve hate-crime charges. This change “may allow local law enforcement to take action against citizens even where there is no reasonable prospect of conviction,” he wrote, according to LifeSiteNews. The bill would also permit complaints from private individuals, potentially drawing churches and clergy into costly legal battles, even if penalties ultimately prove unlikely.
For Catholics and other Christians, the debate raises profound questions about the future of public witness in Canada. Scripture, moral teaching, and the Church’s understanding of the human person are not merely private opinions but integral elements of the faith. Many believers now fear that clearly articulating biblical teaching — especially on contested moral issues — could expose them to investigation or prosecution.
As Parliament continues its deliberations, faithful Canadians are watching closely, praying that lawmakers will safeguard both the dignity of every person and the fundamental freedoms of religion and expression that underpin a free and democratic society.
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