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Federal hate crimes legislation does not criminalize quoting the Bible

Viral social media posts incorrectly claimed Canada 'criminalized the Bible' following the House of Commons' passage of Bill C-9, the 'Combatting Hate Act.' Fact checks confirm the legislation does not ban public Bible reading or quoting Scripture.
Bill C-9, formally titled 'An Act to amend the Criminal Code,' passed its third reading in the House of Commons on March 25, 2026. As of April 9, 2026, the legislation remained at second reading in the Senate.
The proposed law removes a specific Criminal Code defense previously allowing religious texts to justify hate speech. It prohibits statements that 'wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group,' defining hatred as intense emotion associated with vilification.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser rejected claims the bill would 'criminalize faith,' while University of Windsor law professor Richard Moon clarified that sharing Bible passages in person or online remains legal under the proposed framework.
High-Profile posts by actor Kevin Sorbo and commentator Terrence K. Williams drove the misinformation, with their posts garnering over 160,000 likes and falsely alleging pastors and everyday Christians face prosecution risks for expressing their faith.

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Fact File: Federal hate crimes legislation does not criminalize quoting the Bible

Multiple social media posts claim that federal legislation amending the Criminal Code to address hate-motivated crimes has made it a crime to quote the Bible. Experts say that under the

4 days ago·Peterborough, Canada

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