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Canada House clears anti-hate bill amid rising extremism
The move is being welcomed by many Indo-Canadians amid concerns over Khalistani extremism.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 26, Mar 2026
- 17:36 EDT
- 19
Combatting Hate Act / X/ @JohnPaulDanko
Canada’s House of Commons passed the Combatting Hate Act on March 25, a bill that would create new criminal offences related to hate propaganda, hate-motivated crimes, and obstruction or intimidation at religious and cultural spaces.
Bill C-9 cleared third reading with support from the Bloc Québécois, a Quebec-based party in Canada’s federal Parliament, while the Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party voted against it.
Also Read: Canada introduces new law to tackle rising hate crimes
Introduced by Justice Minister Sean Fraser, the Liberal government bill amends Canada’s Criminal Code to criminalize the promotion of hatred through certain terrorism or hate symbols and to create new offenses targeting intimidation, obstruction, or interference with access to places of worship and other community institutions.
It also introduces a new hate crime offense that increases penalties when an underlying offense is motivated by hatred.
Announcing the development, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a post on X, “The Combatting Hate Act passed in the House of Commons this week. That’s a huge step forward in our mission to build a stronger, safer country where everyone — no matter who they are or how they worship — can live free from violence and intimidation.”
The Combatting Hate Act passed in the House of Commons this week.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 26, 2026
That’s a huge step forward in our mission to build a stronger, safer country where everyone — no matter who they are or how they worship — can live free from violence and intimidation.
The bill also removes the requirement for approval from the Attorney General before prosecutors can pursue certain hate propaganda cases.
The legislation has been politically contentious. The Liberal government secured Bloc support by agreeing to remove an existing religious exemption in Canada’s hate speech law, which currently protects statements made in good faith on religious subjects.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser defended the change, saying it would not “criminalize faith.”
Conservative lawmakers opposed the amendment, calling it an “assault” on religious freedom, while several religious groups also raised concerns about its implications for free expression.
The bill has drawn attention among sections of the Indo-Canadian community, particularly in the context of tensions over Khalistani separatist activism and incidents involving vandalism, intimidation, and public displays linked to banned groups.
Some community members have described the legislation as a long-awaited step, particularly because of its provisions dealing with hate symbols and access to places of worship.
Bill C-9 was introduced on Sept. 19, 2025, and passed a second vote in the House of Commons on Oct. 1, 2025, before being sent to a parliamentary justice committee for review. The committee returned the bill with amendments on March 13. It cleared the report stage on March 23 before passing third reading two days later.
The bill will now go to Canada’s Senate, the upper chamber of Parliament, and must receive Royal Assent before becoming law.
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