Excerpt from Cardinal Francis Leo’s letter of support for the CCCB’s concern about federal Bill C-9, and an edited text of the CCCB letter.

“I write to you today to convey my support of the 4 December letter to Prime Minister Carney issued by the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) concerning proposed amendments to Bill C-9 and the possible removal of the long-standing “good faith” religious-text defence in the Criminal Code.

As Catholics, we must firmly reject all forms of hatred and discrimination, andstand in solidarity with those who suffer from violence, intimidation, or prejudice. Our faith calls us to uphold the dignity of every human person and to contribute to a society marked by justice, peace, and respect for all.

At the same time, the concerns highlighted by the CCCB deserve serious attention. 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. Removing this narrow but important safeguard risks creating uncertainty for clergy, educators, and all people of faith who seek to pass on the teachings of the Church with charity and integrity.

I encourage you to read the CCCB Permanent Council’s letter  and to stay informed about Bill C-9. I also ask that you join me in praying that our elected officials will work collaboratively with religious communities and legal experts to ensure that efforts to curb hatred do not unintentionally undermine the constitutional freedoms that allow people of all faiths to flourish in our country.”

Letter from CCCB President Most Rev. Pierre Goudreault, Bishop of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière Quebec.

We write to you today to express deep concern regarding recent reports that your government, in co-operation with the Bloc Québécois, plans to remove the long-standing religious exemption in … the Criminal Code as part of Bill C-9 amendments.

We recognize and unequivocally affirm the importance of condemning hatred, protecting vulnerable people and communities, and fostering a society in which every Canadian can live free from discrimination, intimidation, and violence. The Church has consistently supported appropriate measures to confront extremism and the promotion of hatred. We also understand the serious challenges…(of) recent years, including the increase in antisemitism and other forms of hateful speech and behaviour, many of which have targeted the Christian community. These actions leave a deep wound on our country.

(However), the proposed elimination of the “good faith” religious-text defence raises significant concerns. This narrowly framed exemption has served for many years as an essential safeguard to ensure Canadians are not criminally prosecuted for sincere, truth-seeking expression of beliefs made without animus and grounded in long-standing religious traditions. Courts have made clear that only the most extreme forms of speech fall within the scope of hate-propaganda offences.

Removal of this provision risks creating uncertainty for faith communities, clergy, educators, and others who may fear 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. As legal experts have noted, the public’s understanding of hate-speech and its legal implications are often far broader than what the Criminal Code captures. Eliminating a clear statutory safeguard will likely therefore have a chilling effect on religious expression, even if prosecutions remain unlikely in practice.

Civil liberties advocates view (scriptural-text protection) as an important component of Canada’s constitutional commitment to freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and pluralism. Respect for these freedoms is a constitutional requirement (and) a foundational element of our national identity….

We respectfully urge the Government of Canada to: ensure Bill C-9 does not remove the religious-text defence from the Criminal Code, provide clear assurance through a public statement – including in any legislative record or parliamentary debate – that good-faith religious expression, teaching, and preaching will not be subject to criminal prosecution under the hate-propaganda provisions, and commit to broad consultation with religious leaders, legal experts, and civil-liberties organizations before any amendments to Bill C-9 that would affect religious freedom.

We believe it is possible to achieve the shared objective of promoting a society free from genuine hatred while also upholding the constitutional rights of millions of Canadians who draw moral and spiritual guidance from their faith traditions. (We) remain committed to working constructively with the government to ensure that legislation aimed at reducing hate does not inadvertently undermine the freedoms that sustain a healthy, diverse, and democratic Canada.