Press Release – Parliament Passes Bill C-9 Without Restoring Religious Freedom Defence
For immediate release from the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada
June 17, 2026
Ottawa, ON – Earlier today, Bill C-9 passed the final stage in the House of Commons and will soon receive Royal Assent.
“We are deeply concerned by the passage of this legislation,” explains Daniel Zekveld, a Policy Analyst for the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada, “especially the removal of the religious defence against the crime of wilful promotion of hatred. This defence recognizes that religious convictions touch upon some of the most fundamental questions of life, questions that will inevitably provoke profound disagreement.”
ARPA Canada is troubled by the rise in hate-motivated crimes in Canada. But restricting freedom of expression and religion is not the answer. Rather, the government should ensure existing laws are adequately enforced and good faith religious speech protected.
“The Supreme Court cited this religious defence as one of the reasons it considered the Criminal Code’s hate speech provisions to be constitutional,” says ARPA’s Director of Law and Policy, John Sikkema. “Without these carefully crafted defences and exemptions, the constitutionality of the crime of wilfully promoting hatred is more questionable.”
There is rightly no religious defence for uttering threats or public incitement of hatred likely to lead to a breach of the peace. The religious defence only applies in the context of the broader offence of wilfully promoting hatred. The defence is an important safeguard against potential silencing of religious views.
“Increasingly, our civil leaders view religious viewpoints around morality and identity as unacceptable in the public square,” continues Zekveld. We maintain that the hallmark of Christianity is love and that biblical principles, including those related to morality and identity, contribute to the common good and human flourishing.”
“We are disappointed by the government’s insistence on removing the religious defence clause in the face of so much public opposition,” says Paul Lawton, ARPA’s Director of Grassroots Action. “Canadians logged hundreds of thousands of phone calls to MPs and Senators, sent them hundreds of thousands of postcards, and attended countless rallies and events to express their opposition to Bill C-9. This is a sad day for freedom of speech and freedom of religion, not just for Christians, but for all Canadians.”
Sikkema clarifies that “our concern isn’t so much that Christians or others will be prosecuted immediately after this legislation passes. Rather, we are concerned about the gradual erosion of fundamental freedoms through legislation like this.”
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For further comment or interviews, please contact Daniel Zekveld at [email protected], or at 1-866-691-2772
The Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada is a Christian grassroots advocacy organization supported by thousands of Canadians concerned with religious freedom, freedom of conscience, parental rights, and other fundamental freedoms. ARPA Canada engages regularly with legislators, government officials, and policy-makers at all levels of government and provides research, legal analysis, and grassroots perspectives on public policy issues affecting faith communities across Canada.
