Bill C-9 removes Section 319(3)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code and thereby the legal protection for quoting religious scriptures. The provision previously protected the right of believers to cite sacred texts.
Without this protection, the door is opened for priests and ordinary Christians to be investigated and prosecuted for reading aloud from the Bible or defending biblical doctrines if a public official, activist group, or other “offended” person considers them “hateful” or “offensive”.
“Bible Ban”
The Bible contains many passages that today’s secular authorities find unacceptable. These include, for example, the rejection of homosexual practice (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians), the doctrine that Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6), passages warning against false prophets and false teachings, and scriptures concerning the roles of men and women in marriage and family.
Under C-9, quoting these verses in a sermon, in a Christian forum, or even in a private conversation could potentially be classified as hate speech.
Fears of a Slippery-Slope Effect Similar to Canada’s Euthanasia Legislation
For a long time, Canada has stretched the definition of “hate speech” in a direction that also encompasses expressions of traditional Christian viewpoints.
- In 2023, a pastor in Alberta was investigated for delivering a sermon on the biblical definition of marriage.
- Christian activists at crisis pregnancy centres have been accused of “hate propaganda” because they refuse to refer women for abortion.
- Several Canadian priests have received threats after speaking from the pulpit about gender and sexuality.
Today is a dark day in Canadian history.
The House has passed Bill C-9—an assault on religious freedom that removes longstanding protections for Canadians expressing sincerely held beliefs.
Conservatives fought this bill every step of the way—and we will keep fighting until… pic.twitter.com/ofTpp9fePT
— Brad Redekopp (@BradRedekopp) June 17, 2026
The law does not criminalise the reading, quotation, or preaching of the Bible in general. It is emphasised that the threshold for conviction remains high – deliberate intent to promote hatred against an identifiable group must be proven. However, it is feared that the removal of the religious defence will make believers more vulnerable to police complaints and legal proceedings when they quote verses concerning, for example, sexuality, marriage, or point to sin within a two-thousand-year-old Christian tradition.
There are also fears of a slippery-slope effect similar to that seen with euthanasia legislation, whereby an ever-growing range of expressions becomes included, potentially chilling religious expression. All hate-speech legislation is elastic. Few people wish to become the subject of legal proceedings that define how far the elastic can be stretched.