Dear Friend,
Hate crimes and hate speech are on the rise in Canada.
In response to this very concerning trend, the government has introduced the
Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9). This bill is intended to strengthen existing protections for vulnerable communities targeted by hate (including Jewish and other minority religious groups), and to ensure that
all Canadians can live and worship with dignity and safety.
Hate offences are already covered in the
Criminal Code. Currently, it’s illegal to wilfully and publicly promote hatred or incite violence against any identifiable group (based on colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability).
However, if someone is found to have promoted hatred, there is a defence built into the law if they were, “in good faith,” making an argument based on a religious text or a religious opinion. (It should be noted that the Supreme Court has made it clear that this defence doesn’t allow a person to make a hateful statement and claim it’s religious expression.)
Even though this “good faith religious belief” defence has rarely been used and has never been used successfully, it is very important that this defence exists. Here’s why…
As Christians, we deeply value the ability to hold and express our beliefs. Studying scripture, sharing our faith, and teaching our children are vital parts of our Christian lives.
In Canada, we have the legally protected freedom to write or speak about things that flow from our faith and what we believe the Bible teaches. However, there are some who would seek to silence our voices, especially when our religious convictions are not shared by the general public or may be offensive to some. With increasing frequency, expression of biblical truths on controversial issues is described by some as hateful.
Many have been accused of hating members of the LGBTQ+ community for expressing biblical views of gender, sexual morality, or marriage. Some who advocate for unborn children and against abortion have also been accused of hating women. No matter how gentle and loving our speech, some will be offended by our attempts to communicate Christian beliefs on sensitive topics. The inclusion of the good faith religious belief defence protects our freedom to express these views.
But now, some MPs have indicated that they are planning to propose an amendment to Bill C-9 that would
remove this defence from the hate speech provisions in the
Criminal Code. As such, the EFC has been communicating with MPs about the need to keep this defence.
It is critical that any efforts by the government to protect identifiable groups from hate will,
at the same time, also respect and protect the right to freedom of religion, conscience, thought, belief, opinion and expression that are guaranteed under the
Charter. The purpose of the defence is to ensure that minority religious views that others might find offensive are not silenced or suppressed.
Will Christians be able to continue to publicly express sincerely held beliefs, grounded in biblical teaching, without being accused of engaging in hate speech? Will we be prohibited from writing about or speaking biblical truths into the lives of others and to the broader society in which we live? Will we be able to continue contributing to ongoing debates on issues such as the sanctity of life or sexual morality that impact everyone’s well-being?
We believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). The expression of biblical truths in our churches and institutions, as well as in the public square, is a way we can bring life and truth to our neighbours. It should be protected, not subject to criminal charges or other penalties.
We are saddened that hate speech is on the rise and agree that Canada must grapple with how to address hateful and violent speech and actions. However, it is important that this is done in a way that doesn’t have unintended consequences or stifle good faith religious expression.
The EFC is studying Bill C-9 very carefully and will recommend changes to help address the serious questions and concerns we have. This type of work requires a lot of time, resources, and expertise, which is why we need your support today. The good faith religious belief defence ensures that healthy discussion and debate of policy, ideas and beliefs can continue – for the good of all Canadians; and that we can freely carry out our God-given task of proclaiming the Gospel and passing on our faith without fear of being criminalized.
EFC donors and partners are a huge part of our work. Please know that your prayers and financial gifts in support of the EFC are greatly appreciated. We thank God for you and your partnership in our Kingdom work!
Sincerely,
Dr. David Guretzki
President & CEO