Canada’s Parliament has passed the Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9), a controversial new law that strengthens the prosecution of hate crimes while removing a long-standing protection for religious expression, sparking concerns among Catholic leaders.
The legislation, which received Royal Assent on June 18 and takes effect July 18, increases penalties for hate-motivated offenses, adds protections against intimidation at places of worship, and bans the promotion of terrorism and hate symbols. Critically, it repeals a Criminal Code section that previously shielded those who expressed religious beliefs “in good faith” from conviction.
Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto urged lawmakers to ensure clear protections for religious freedom, conscience, and expression, warning that the repeal could chill legitimate religious discourse.
Other News Highlights
The article also covers: the acquittal of a Missionaries of Charity sister in India on child trafficking charges; the death of U.S.-born missionary Sister Mary Augustine Nemer, who helped shape the African Bible; the Coptic Catholic Synod’s focus on education and diaspora communities; revelations about a stolen British army gun used to murder 11 Catholics in Northern Ireland; Chaldean Patriarch Paul III Nona’s visit to Kurdish officials; and ongoing conflict concerns in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
