Canadian bishops urge faith protection in hate-speech law

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to withdraw the Liberal Party’s reported agreement with the Bloc Québécois to remove the exemption.

CCCB president Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière warned that repealing that section of the criminal code – which protects good-faith expressions or opinions based on religious texts from hate-speech prosecution – would have a “chilling effect on religious expression”.

“The removal of this provision risks creating uncertainty for faith communities, clergy, educators and others who may fear that the expression of traditional moral or doctrinal teachings could be misinterpreted as hate speech and could subject the speaker to proceedings that threaten imprisonment of up to two years,” Bishop Goudreault wrote.

The CCCB urged the government to retain the religious-text defence. Alternatively, the bishops proposed two steps: a public assurance that “good-faith religious expression, teaching and preaching will not be subject to criminal prosecution under the hate-propaganda provisions”, and mandatory consultation with religious leaders, legal experts and civil-liberties groups before any changes affecting religious freedom.

Toronto’s Cardinal Francis Leo echoed the concern in a letter to Toronto Catholics that he shared with Members of Parliament in the archdiocese.

“As Catholics, we must always firmly reject all forms of hatred and discrimination,” he wrote. But “the ability to express and teach our faith freely – without fear that sincere, good-faith proclamation of the Gospel might be misunderstood as unlawful – is a cornerstone of a healthy, democratic Canada.”

Conservative MP Andrew Lawton welcomed the bishops’ intervention. He said he was “very happy to see” the letter and similar concerns raised “from members of the Jewish community, Muslim community and Indian religious traditions such as Sikhs or Hindus. All people of faith need to understand that this will target everyone”.

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Canadian bishops ask prime minister to keep religious-text protection in hate-speech law (By Quinton Amundson/Catholic News Agency)