Canada's Parliament passed Bill C-9, the Combatting Hatred Act, on June 17, 2026 — two days before the summer recess — after more than nine months of legislative journey. The law takes effect June 30, 2026.

The bill's most consequential change for religious communities: it removes a "good faith" religious belief defence that previously shielded expressions of religious conviction. Critics also contend the statute's definition of hatred is open to misuse.

What does the ruling change?

The legislation leaves the statute book without a dedicated defence for statements made in good faith on religious grounds. It also leaves undefined, in practical terms, how authorities will assess a speaker's intent when the words come from sacred texts.

"I think that's the key word that they're trying to figure out: what is the intention of the person that is preaching, even if it is from sacred texts?" says Floyd Brobbel of Voice of the Martyrs Canada. "How are we going to be able to determine what is the intent behind somebody preaching a particular verse in Scripture?"

He adds: "That's the concern: that the bill didn't make anything clear, it just seemed to make things more unclear."

Since the bill's introduction in September, tens if not hundreds of thousands of Canadians voiced concerns to lawmakers about its potential impact on religious freedom.

Who spoke out?

"The majority of people that called in and raised their voice were Christian, but a number of other religious groups did as well, and joined together to write their MPs and make their voices heard in parliament," Brobbel says.

"We're in a society where you speak truth and where you cause offense, some people are labeling that as hate. So it is concerning, and other religious groups should be concerned, because it doesn't just affect the Church."

Jewish groups are among those waiting to see how the law will be enforced, according to reporting by The Canadian Jewish News.

What is the government's position?

Canada's Department of Justice states that under Bill C-9, freedom of expression and religion remain protected in Canada. The ramifications of the new law have yet to be tested.

The legislative context is undisputed: antisemitism has risen in Canada, and the government frames hate-motivated action as a legitimate target of enforcement. But motives, as critics note, are not always easy to discern.

What does this mean for practitioners?

For lawyers advising religious organizations and clergy, the immediate task is risk assessment under a statute whose key terms remain untested in court. Counsel should expect interpretive questions — particularly around intent, preaching from sacred texts, and the boundaries of the hatred definition — to be resolved only through early enforcement decisions and constitutional challenges. Until then, advice on sermons, publications and public statements must proceed without the safe harbour the good-faith defence previously provided, and with awareness that the government's assurance of Charter-protected freedoms has no judicial gloss attached.

How are faith leaders responding?

Brobbel says the practical posture of churches remains unchanged despite the disappointment many feel.

"At this point, there's nothing in Bill C-9 that, I think, would hinder us from continuing to preach the Word," he says. "We'll see how the removal of the 'good faith' religious belief defense will play out, but this should not hinder us from moving forward."

He draws a line between conviction and hostility: "There's a difference between standing up for what we believe and promoting hatred towards a group because they're acting a certain way."

• Bill C-9 passed Parliament on June 17, 2026, and takes effect June 30, 2026
• The law removes the "good faith" religious belief defence
• Tens if not hundreds of thousands of Canadians raised concerns since September
• Christians and other religious groups jointly lobbied MPs
• The Department of Justice maintains expression and religion remain protected