By Jawed Anwar

The Liberal government's most contentious legislation yet—Bill C-9—is under heated debate in Canada's Federal Parliament. At the center of the controversy is Immigration Minister Marc Miller's shocking suggestion that individuals could face prosecution for quoting Bible verses he deems "hateful" toward LGBTQ+ communities.

This stance implies that core teachings from the Bible—promoting moral good and condemning societal harms—could be branded as criminal hate speech. Miller's comments extend beyond Christianity and Judaism to target any religious text that upholds traditional values against practices like same-sex relationships or gender ideology.

Religious communities of all faiths must recognize the broader implications: This isn't just about the Old Testament or Torah. It encompasses any sacred scripture offering divine guidance on righteousness and the rejection of moral wrongs. For Muslims, the message is unequivocal—the Quran, as the final and unadulterated revelation, speaks clearly against such "evils" through its verses and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Reciting these truths in sermons or daily life could soon invite legal peril.

Under previous Liberal reforms like Bills C-5 and C-75, violent offenders such as rapists and pedophiles have evaded meaningful jail time. Yet with Bill C-9, the government appears poised to imprison imams reciting Quranic verses, priests quoting Scripture, or rabbis teaching Torah—all for daring to uphold their faith's moral framework.

The Bill's Current Status and Deceptive Framing

Officially titled An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Hate Propaganda, Hate Crime, and Access to Religious or Cultural Places)—or the short-form Combatting Hate Act—Bill C-9 was introduced in the House of Commons on September 19, 2025. It advanced past second reading on October 1 and is now in the consideration stage before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. True to form, the Liberals have cloaked this legislation in appealing rhetoric. What they call a tool to "combat hate" is, in reality, a Religious Hate Act or Anti-Religious Values Act.

Tabled by Justice Minister and Attorney General Sean Fraser, the bill claims to address surging anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia. However, critics argue it aims to suppress growing protests against Israel's actions in Gaza by equating them with anti-Semitism.

Key Provisions: A Facade of Protection

Bill C-9 proposes targeted amendments to the Criminal Code to bolster safeguards against hate-motivated violence:

• Criminalizing Intimidation: It would outlaw knowingly intimidating or obstructing access to places of worship, community centers, schools, or spaces frequented by identifiable groups, with penalties up to 10 years in prison.
• New Hate-Motivated Offense: A standalone category for hate crimes, ensuring explicit condemnation and accountability for bias-driven acts.
• Banning Hate Symbols: Criminal penalties for publicly displaying "terrorism or hate symbols"—a vague provision already weaponized against the Palestinian kaffiyeh, a longstanding emblem of liberation and resistance.
• Easing Prosecutions: By eliminating the need for Attorney General consent to pursue hate propaganda charges, the bill would empower police to act swiftly on complaints, potentially flooding the system with subjective allegations.

As Marco Navarro-Génie astutely observes in his Haultain Research blog post, “ Bill C-9 and the Tyranny of Feeling”

"The mechanics of the bill are deceptively technical. Until now, prosecutions for so-called hate propaganda required the Attorney General’s approval. That safeguard was in place to ensure that prosecutions were filtered through political accountability and not simply triggered by an activist's complaint. Bill C-9 abolishes that filter, placing the discretion squarely with police officers who will be pressed to act on every allegation."

"The bill then goes further by creating new offences for the 'willful promotion of hatred' through words, symbols, or representations, a category so broad it could ensnare a placard at a school board protest or a verse from scripture. It also introduces a stand-alone 'hate crime' category in which the motive itself becomes the crime. In short, it criminalizes thought. The C-9 wording is so loose that a prayer vigil outside an abortion clinic or a parents’ protest at a school could easily fall within its net."

"The result is predictable. Citizens will censor themselves on questions of immigration, gender ideology, or religious teaching because the cost of speaking plainly will be too high. The process itself—arrest, seizure of devices, and the humiliating headline—will become the punishment. In Canada, there is now a push to criminalize dissent."

"What emerges is a selective enforcement regime in which elites are exempt and ordinary citizens are vulnerable. A tweet from a farmer in Red Deer will be treated as criminal, while a prime minister declaring that parents who question gender ideology are extremists goes unpunished."

Who Bears the Brunt? A Direct Assault on Faith and Dissent

Under Bill C-9, the primary victims will be faith communities whose scriptures could be labeled "hateful." Parents challenging school curricula on gender or sexuality risk charges. Protesters—from Palestinian advocates decrying Israel's genocidal policies, to truckers, farmers, and pro-life activists—face suppression under the guise of public order.

The legislation's anti-protest bent is evident in endorsements from pro-Israel groups. Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), hailed it as a "critical step" forward—a predictable stance from an organization whose Zionist priorities clash with universal human values.

Even secular watchdogs share these alarms. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has voiced deep reservations about the bill's overreach. Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, director of the CCLA’s Fundamental Freedoms program, cautioned that the proposed intimidation offense (Section 423) is dangerously expansive:

"As drafted, Bill C-9 risks criminalizing some forms of protected speech and peaceful protest—two cornerstones of a free and democratic society—around tens of thousands of community gathering spaces in Canada."

She emphasized the chilling effect of up to 10-year sentences, which could stifle activism and mute legitimate dissent.

A Wake-Up Call for Canadian Muslims

Canadian Muslim leaders and organizations owe their communities clarity. During the last federal election, several imams and leaders issued fatwas urging votes for specific candidates, often posing alongside Liberal figures and Muslim MPs. Yet these same "Muslim Liberal" allies are now at the forefront of championing Bill C-9—silent on its threats to Islamic teachings.

The time to act is now. Silence will only embolden the erosion of our shared moral foundations. Let us see if faith will prevail over fear.

E-mail: : AsSeerah@AsSeerah.com

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