Religious Freedom

Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) President and General Counsel Phil Horgan has a warning to impart as Canada enters a new, uncertain landscape on July 18, the date when Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, comes into force.

Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, advanced out of the Senate on June 4 by a 45-13 vote, to be sent back to the House of Commons with no movement on providing protection for religious speech.

An amendment to stop the expungement of the good-faith religious text defence from Canada’s hate speech laws was voted down 4-3 (one abstention) by the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights on June 1 during clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.

The Canadian Catholic community finally had its voice heard May 28 during the fourth and final Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights meeting on Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.

There still appears to be space for large outdoor collective worship demonstrations in Quebec despite the passage of Bill 9 by the Quebec provincial government back on April 2.

Catholic entities have not had a seat at the table for any of the first three Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights meetings devoted to studying Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.

An Indigenous coalition filed an updated lawsuit in federal district court in Phoenix on April 22, their latest attempt to block a land transfer including their sacred site at Oak Flat, Arizona, and protect the site from destruction by a copper mining giant.

A federal appeals court on April 21 narrowly upheld a Texas law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.

Montreal Archbishop Christian Lepine said the coming weeks will present a prime opportunity to learn whether there is any leeway to host a public prayer event after Bill 9 became law in Quebec April 2.

Those who insist Canada courts no danger by removing long-standing Criminal Code protections for religious speech should turn their attention to Finland, of all places.