Combatting Hate Act

What It Does

Bill C-9 amends the Criminal Code to create new offences for hate propaganda and symbols, it establishes "bubble zones" around religious and cultural sites, and grants police discretionary power to detain people at gatherings. This bill will also eliminate the longstanding requirement for Attorney General consent before hate propaganda charges can be laid, removing a vital institutional check against politically motivated prosecutions. Bill C-9 passed the House 186–137 on March 25, 2026; now before the Senate.

Primary Concerns

• "Intimidation and obstruction" offences are so vaguely defined that standard protest tactics (chanting, sign-holding, blocking an entrance) could qualify
• Bubble zones apply to tens of thousands of Canadian locations, effectively banning protest across large portions of urban areas
• Removing the Attorney General consent requirement eliminates the main safeguard against frivolous or politically targeted charges
• Police discretion to detain first and question later inverts the presumption of innocence
• Workers cannot protest outside their own institutions, a direct blow to labour rights
• Disproportionate sentencing under the new hate crime offence creates a chilling effect on all advocacy
• Historically, broad "hate" laws are selectively enforced against the marginalized communities they claim to protect

Sources