Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet has issued a warning of potential political repercussions if the Liberals backtrack on accepting his party’s contentious amendment to eliminate a religious exemption for hate speech from the Criminal Code. Blanchet revealed that there was an agreement in place between his party and the minority government Liberals to modify a section of Bill C-9, known as the Combatting Hate Act.
The current provision in the Criminal Code grants an exemption for hate speech under certain conditions related to religious beliefs. The Bloc’s intention was to propose an amendment to remove this section during a detailed review at the House justice committee, but the session was unexpectedly canceled.
Blanchet expressed concerns that the Liberals may have reconsidered their stance due to the presence of representatives from certain groups at a previous committee meeting. He emphasized the importance of upholding secularism and preventing religious matters from interfering with state affairs.
The Bloc Québécois leader made it clear that his party’s support for the bill hinges on the acceptance of the proposed religious exemption amendment. Failure to proceed with this amendment could result in significant political consequences, as losing the Bloc’s support would jeopardize the bill’s chances of passing, with the Conservatives also strongly opposing the amendment.
Meanwhile, committee chair James Maloney explained that the decision to cancel the meeting was made to address the challenges faced by the committee in reaching a consensus on the legislation. The Liberals remain open to discussions with all parties, including the Bloc, to enhance protections against rising hate crimes in Canada.
Bill C-9, introduced by Justice Minister Sean Fraser, aims to criminalize intentional acts of obstruction or intimidation at places of worship, schools, and community centers. The proposed legislation includes new Criminal Code offenses targeting hate promotion against identifiable groups using specific symbols associated with hate or terrorism, amid escalating tensions linked to global conflicts.