Combatting Hate Act
| Combatting Hate Act | |
|---|---|
| Parliament of Canada | |
| |
| Enactedby | House of Commons |
| Enactedby | Senate |
| Royal assent | June 18, 2026 |
| Legislative history | |
| Initiating chamber: House of Commons | |
| Bill citation | Bill C-9 |
| Introduced by | Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada,Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency |
| First reading | September 19, 2025 |
| Second reading | October 1, 2025 |
| Third reading | March 25, 2026 |
| Revising chamber: Senate | |
| First reading | March 26, 2026 |
| Second reading | April 30, 2026 |
| Third reading | June 4, 2026 |
| Status: In force | |
The Combatting Hate Act, also known as Bill C-9, is a 2026 Act of the Parliament of Canada to address hate crimes through strengthening the criminal code by creating new offenses to obstructing and intimidation at places of worship, schools, and other institutions.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Legislative history
[edit ]The bill was introduced on 19 September 2025 by Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Sean Fraser.[5]
In March 2026, the third reading of the bill was passed by the House of Commons, and now moves to the Senate of Canada.[6] [7] [8]
The law was passed and received royal assent on 18 June, 2026, and came into effect on July 18, 2026. [9] [10]
Reaction
[edit ]The Act has been criticized for placing restrictions on freedom of speech, including by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.[6] [11]
References
[edit ]- ↑ "Prime Minister Carney highlights new measures to combat antisemitism and support Canada's Jewish community". Prime Minister of Canada. 1 June 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ Schertzer, Leora (1 June 2026). "Carney picks Montreal MP Miller to chair antisemitism council". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ Staff, Derren Chan | JURIST (13 March 2026). "Canada parliament's push to criminalize hate crimes sparks free-speech concerns". www.jurist.org. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ Zhuang, Yan (2 June 2026). "Carney Says Canada Faces a 'Crisis of Antisemitism'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Canada introduces legislation to combat hate crimes, intimidation, and obstruction" (Press release). Government of Canada. 19 September 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- 1 2 Major, Darren (25 March 2026). "Contentious anti-hate legislation passes final vote in the House, now moves to Senate". CBC News . Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ Amundson, Quinton (25 March 2026). "Bill C-9 advances to Senate". www.catholicregister.org. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ Amundson, Quinton (1 May 2026). "Bill C-9 faces scrutiny in the Senate". www.catholicregister.org. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/45-1/c-9
- ↑ "Canada's stronger hate crime protections become law". 19 June 2026.
- ↑ CCLA (12 March 2026). "Bill C-9 Was Supposed to Fight Hate. Instead, It's Being Rushed Through Parliament and Threatens the Rights of Every Canadian". CCLA. Retrieved 2 June 2026.