Overview

• Justice Minister Sean Fraser introduced Bill C-9, which would add four Criminal Code offences including intimidation and obstruction of access to places serving identifiable groups, a standalone hate‑crime offence, and a hate‑propaganda offence for publicly displaying specified symbols to willfully promote hatred.
• The bill lists the Nazi swastika and SS bolts and symbols associated with entities on Canada’s terrorist list, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Proud Boys, with exemptions for educational, artistic and journalistic use and with no blanket ban on mere display.
• Intimidation and obstruction offences would carry maximum sentences of up to 10 years in prison, the hate‑symbol display offence would carry up to two years, and the new hate‑crime offence would increase maximum penalties when an underlying crime is motivated by hatred.
• The legislation would add a statutory definition of “hatred” based on Supreme Court jurisprudence and remove the requirement for Attorney General consent to lay hate‑propaganda charges to speed prosecutions.
• Jewish advocacy groups welcomed the move as overdue amid rising police‑reported hate crimes, while civil‑liberties organizations and some political opponents raised free‑expression and implementation concerns as the bill heads to parliamentary debate.