Bill C-9 was introduced in the House of Commons on September 19, 2025. It is currently being studied by the House of Commons Justice Committee.
The bill defines hatred and creates four new offences in the
Criminal Code. It also removes the requirement that the Attorney General consent to laying charges for hate propaganda offences.
On December 9, the Justice Committee voted to amend Bill C-9 so that it removes the religious belief defence from the hate speech provisions in
Criminal Code s. 319(2). The committee's study of the bill is now suspended until January.
See the EFC's
two-page summary with tips for contacting your MP on hate crimes and religious expression (Jan. 13, 2026).
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Related resources
- Petition form: download, collect 25+ signatures, mail to your MP (PDF, Jan. 23, 2026)
- EFC President's letter to the Prime Minister (Dec. 9, 2025)
- EFC blog on the hate crimes bill controversy (Dec. 9, 2025)
- EFC submission to the House of Common's Justice Committee (PDF, 9 pages, Nov. 21, 2025)
- EFC blog on civil disagreement on the good faith religious belief defence (Nov. 17, 2025)
- EFC talking points and summary on the religious belief defence (Nov. 14, 2025)
- EFC backgrounder on the good faith religious belief defence (PDF, 4 pages, Nov. 4, 2025)
- EFC's three-page summary of Bill C-9 (PDF, Oct. 6, 2025)