Over the past few weeks, I have received more correspondence about one issue than almost any other during my time as a Member of Parliament. People across the constituency have reached out with deep concern about Liberal Bill C-9.

 

They are right to be concerned.

 

The Liberals claim Bill C-9 is about protecting Canadians from hate. After studying the bill, listening to expert witnesses at the Justice Committee, and watching the government’s actions unfold, I have reached a clear conclusion. Bill C-9 does not protect freedom. It threatens it.

 

At the centre of this debate is a change the Liberals, with the support of the Bloc Québécois, are attempting to push through. For decades Canada’s Criminal Code has included a safeguard that protects Canadians from being criminally convicted for expressing in good faith an argument or opinion based on a religious text. This protection does not allow hatred or violence. Those acts are already illegal and always should be. Instead, it serves as an important guardrail protecting freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

 

The Liberals and the Bloc are now proposing to remove this long-standing safeguard from the Criminal Code. Many legal experts and faith leaders have warned that doing so could create new uncertainty about how the law may apply to religious expression.