Ottawa, ON – The Liberal government has tabled landmark legislation aimed at strengthening Canada’s response to hate crimes by creating four new hate-related criminal offences and expanding protections for religious communities.
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada Sean Fraser announced the bill at a news conference on Parliament Hill, describing it as a key step in addressing rising incidents of hate-motivated violence across the country. “This legislation will make it a criminal offence to wilfully promote hate through the use of hate symbols and to intimidate or obstruct access to religious institutions,” Fraser said.
The bill specifically targets two well-known Nazi symbols — the swastika and the SS bolt — as well as symbols associated with designated terrorist entities. In addition, it creates a new category of hate crime that can be applied on top of existing offences, allowing courts to treat crimes motivated by hatred toward a victim’s identity as aggravated offences.
The proposed law also introduces new crimes of obstruction and intimidation intended to safeguard religious institutions and those who attend them. This move comes in response to repeated calls from faith communities for stronger federal measures to ensure their safety amid a rise in attacks and threats against places of worship.
While the full text of the legislation is expected to be made available shortly, Fraser emphasized that the government is committed to protecting Canadians from hate-fuelled harassment, vandalism, and violence.