The Canadian House of Commons approved a ridiculous bill aimed at strengthening legislation against “hate crimes”, an initiative that has generated intense debate about the limits between the protection of minorities and religious freedom. The text, known as the “Combatting Hate Act” (Bill C-9), was backed by 186 votes to 137 and must now be reviewed by
the Senate.Promoted by the progressive government with the support of Bloc Québécois, the project introduces amendments to the Criminal Code with the objective of expanding the protection of religious, cultural and community spaces against attacks and discriminatory acts. However, one of its most controversial aspects is the elimination of a legal defense that allowed the justification of certain expressions based on religious beliefs or sacred texts in cases linked to
hate crimes.During the parliamentary debate, Conservative Party legislators tried to introduce amendments to preserve this protection, arguing that their removal could affect fundamental rights. However, these proposals did not succeed, and critics also denounced that the ruling party limited debate to key stages of the legislative process, raising questions about the transparency of
the procedure.The measure has aroused concern in various religious sectors. Organizations and leaders of different denominations warned that, without defense based on the expression of beliefs, faithful and preachers could be exposed to sanctions for expressing doctrinal opinions, especially on sensitive issues such as sexuality or disastrous gender identity. From this perspective, they fear that the regulations could lead to greater State intervention in the field of faith
