Combatting Hate Act (Government of Canada Bill C-9) Strengthening Protections Against Hate Crimes
- HWAD Office Team
- Mar 12
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 16
The Combatting Hate Act (Government of Canada Bill C-9) will strengthen Canada’s criminal laws to address rising hate crimes and protect people attending places of worship, schools, and community spaces from targeted harassment, violence and hate, while maintaining freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly.
The Combatting Hate Act responds to a growing number of incidents of intimidation and violence targeting identifiable communities across Canada. The Government of Canada is taking action to ensure that all Canadians can attend religious services, send their children to school, and gather in community spaces without fear of hate-motivated violence.
In Hamilton and across Canada, we are seeing a troubling rise in hate-motivated incidents, with Jewish communities experiencing the largest share of religiously targeted hate. Reflecting broader national trends, Hamilton has seen a troubling increase in antisemitic incidents, alongside hate directed at Muslims, Christians, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ residents, and other racialized groups - along with the presence of several public white nationalist rallies. The Combatting Hate Act will strengthen Canada’s Criminal Code to ensure that intimidation, violence, and the deliberate promotion of hatred have clear consequences. Everyone in Hamilton deserves to be safe when they gather in their place of worship, attend school, or participate in community life. John-Paul Danko, P. Eng. Member of Parliament for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas
Extensive Consultation and Debate
The Combatting Hate Act was introduced six months ago and has undergone extensive debate and study in Parliament. The House of Commons has spent more than 33 hours debating the bill, and the Justice Committee heard from dozens of witnesses, including faith leaders, legal experts, advocacy organizations, and police representatives.
Despite extensive consultation and study, the Combatting Hate Act has been obstructed and delayed by the opposition, slowing the introduction of important protections called for by vulnerable communities across Canada.
Rising Hate Incidents in Hamilton and Across Canada
The rise in hate crimes has been felt across Canada and locally in Hamilton.
Hamilton Police recorded 297 hate-related incidents and criminal offences in 2024, representing a 35 percent increase from the previous year. The most frequently targeted communities included Black, Jewish, and 2SLGBTQIA+ residents.
Religiously motivated hate incidents have been particularly concerning. In Hamilton, 53 of 66 religion-related hate incidents in 2024 targeted the Jewish community, accounting for approximately 80 percent of all religiously motivated incidents, despite the Jewish community representing only about 0.5 percent of the city’s population.
At the same time, other communities have also experienced hate-motivated incidents. Police statistics show cases targeting Muslims, Hindus, Christians, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and racialized communities.
Hate incidents involving sexual orientation, religion, and race continue to be among the most frequently reported categories in Hamilton. These trends mirror broader national data showing significant increases in hate crimes targeting religious communities and minority groups across Canada.
Religious Expression, Legal Definitions and Charter Protections
Canadian law already recognizes several hate-related criminal offences. The Combatting Hate Act builds on this existing framework.
Wilful promotion of hatred occurs when a person deliberately communicates statements intended to promote extreme hatred against an identifiable group. Courts define hatred as detestation or vilification that goes far beyond simple dislike or offence.
A hate crime occurs when a criminal offence—such as assault, vandalism, threats, or harassment - is committed and there is clear evidence the act was motivated by hatred toward an identifiable group.
The legislation also addresses concerns related to religious expression. Canadian courts have consistently confirmed that sermons, religious teachings, and discussion of scripture do not meet the high legal threshold required for promoting hatred.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly. The Combatting Hate Act maintains these protections while ensuring that intimidation, violence, and the deliberate promotion of hatred are treated as criminal acts.
Key Pillars of the Combatting Hate Act
The Combatting Hate Act introduces targeted reforms to the Criminal Code to strengthen protections for communities facing hate-motivated intimidation and violence.
New offence for obstructing access to community spaces
The bill will make it illegal to intentionally block people from entering places primarily used by an identifiable group, including religious buildings, cultural centres, and schools. Peaceful protest will remain legal as long as it does not physically prevent people from entering.
New offence for intimidation at community spaces
It will become a crime to intimidate people attempting to access these locations, such as threatening worshippers outside a synagogue or confronting parents dropping children off at a religious school.
Stand-alone hate-motivated crime offence
The Combatting Hate Act will create a specific offence when another crime is committed because of hatred toward an identifiable group. This ensures hate-motivated crimes are clearly recognized and prosecuted.
Codifying the legal definition of hatred
The legislation will place the Supreme Court of Canada’s definition of hatred directly in the Criminal Code, clarifying that hatred means extreme detestation or vilification and does not include criticism, disagreement, or offensive speech.
Criminalizing the promotion of hatred through certain symbols
The bill will make it a crime to wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group by publicly displaying certain hate or terrorism-related symbols, including the Nazi Hakenkreuz or symbols associated with listed terrorist entities(such as Hamas), when displayed with the intent to promote hatred.
Together, these measures will clarify the law and provide police and prosecutors with clearer tools to address hate-motivated conduct.
Support from Communities and Law Enforcement
Community organizations across Canada have supported stronger legal measures to address rising hate.
Jewish organizations have stated that families attending synagogue, dropping children off at school, or participating in community programs have increasingly faced intimidation and harassment. Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and other faith leaders have also emphasized the need for stronger protections for places of worship and community spaces.
The legislation was developed following extensive consultation with affected communities, faith organizations, legal experts, municipalities, and police services. Law enforcement agencies have emphasized the importance of clearer legal tools to respond to intimidation and hate crimes affecting local communities.
The Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9) will strengthen Canada’s Criminal Code to address the growing threat of hate-motivated intimidation and violence. By creating new offences, clarifying the definition of hatred, and targeting the promotion of hatred through extremist symbols, the Combatting Hate Act will provide stronger protections for communities while maintaining the Charter rights of all Canadians.
Questions, Comments or Concerns?
Click here to leave a message and share your thoughts with MP Danko.
Comments