Government's Commitment to Protect Charter Rights is Disingenuous

I emailed Prime Minister Mark Carney and various members of the Justice committee who are navigating the Liberal’s “hate crime bill” through parliament. One of the committee members, Stephen Fuhr, responded. His response is below. While I encourage you to read their justification for this egregious attack on our right to free speech, I must warn you his response scores a ten on the disingenuous scale.

Here is my response to Mr. Fuhr:

Mr Fuhr

You are being disingenuous when you say - “Lawful demonstrations and the peaceful expression of views remain protected under the Charter.”

Where was the protection during the freedom convoy?

Where was the protection during the COVID mandates?

Where was the protection for those protesting the sexualization of our children in schools and public libraries?

Where was the protection for those protesting the lies of 215 bodies found in Kamloops?

Why should I trust that you will protect our Charter rights now when your government’s history is one of egregiously violating our Charter rights.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I have zero trust that this government is willing or able to defend my Charter rights.

Ted Kuntz,

Kelowna, BC

Dear Ted,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts regarding Bill C-9, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Hate Propaganda, Hate Crime and Access to Religious or Cultural Places).

Our government is committed to keeping Canadians safe by tackling hate crimes and protecting places of worship and community spaces, while also safeguarding fundamental rights – including freedom of expression and the right to protest.

Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, updates the Criminal Code so police and prosecutors can better address serious hate crimes. It creates a clear hate crime offence when another crime is motivated by hatred, bans the public display of certain terrorist or hate symbols meant to spread hatred, and makes it illegal to block or intimidate people attending a place of worship, school, community center, or other spaces mainly used by a particular community. The goal is to protect communities, especially religious ones, from harassment and violence.

Bill C-9 does not make it a crime to own, read, quote, or preach from the Bible, the Qur’an, or any other religious text, or to express a good-faith religious opinion. Current protections in the Criminal Code remain, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms continue to guarantee freedom of religion and freedom of expression.

Bill C-9 proposes targeted Criminal Code reforms that:

• Make it illegal to block or interfere with lawful access to religious, cultural, or community institutions;

• Create a new offence to criminalize intimidation intended to instill fear outside such spaces;

• Establish a standalone hate-crime offence applying across all federal laws, ensuring all hate-motivated offences are treated seriously;

• Codify the legal meaning of “hatred,” based on Supreme Court jurisprudence, distinguishing it from mere offence or criticism;

• Remove the Attorney General’s consent requirement for hate propaganda charges to ensure swifter, more consistent prosecution; and

• Prohibit the willful promotion of hatred through the public display of certain hate or terrorist symbols, such as the Nazi swastika, SS bolts, or symbols associated with listed terrorist entities.

These measures respond directly to the troubling rise in hate-motivated crime in Canada, including acts of antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia, which have left too many Canadians feeling unsafe in their communities.

Importantly, Bill C-9 does not ban peaceful protest or create “bubble zones.” Lawful demonstrations and the peaceful expression of views remain protected under the Charter. The legislation targets criminal conduct, such as threats, intimidation, and
deliberate obstruction, not lawful expression.

For more information, you can view the full text of the bill here: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-9/first-reading.

Thank you again for reaching out and sharing your perspective. Your feedback is valued and helps inform our ongoing work to ensure that every Canadian, no matter their background, belief, or identity, can live free from fear and hate.

Stephen Fuhr, PC, MP, CD
Member of Parliament – Kelowna Riding
Kelowna Office: (250) 244-8200

Email: stephen.fuhr@parl.gc.ca