Canada's Hate Crimes Bill: What's the Real Story?

0:00Social media is blowing up with claims that Canada just made courting the Bible a crime through a new hate crimes bill. Influencers like comedian Terrence K. Williams and actor Kevin Sorbo posted about it last month, racking up hundreds of thousands of likes. They say Bill C9 criminalizes pastors and everyday folks for sharing scripture on marriage or sexuality. But hold up, the bill isn't even law yet. The bill passed this third reading in the House of Commons on March 25th and now sits with the Senate for approval. It defines hatred in the criminal code for the first time, makes willful promotion of hate symbols a crime, and protects people entering religious. Spots. A key change from the block Quebequois scraps a religious exemption for good faith opinions based on holy texts. These posts spread fast beyond North America, even hitting a crusade in Nigeria where a leader warned courting Bible verses on husband and wife could, land you in court. If it is and civil liberties groups are fired up, arguing it threatens religious freedom

1:02and protest rights. Experts shut that down quick. Law professor Richard Moon says sharing Bible passages doesn't hit the hate speech bar, which needs extreme stuff like calling groups subhuman or violent. Canadian Civil Liberties Association's Howard Saipers agrees, noting you can't just hide hate behind religion, but simple quotes on sin or design won't. Cut it. Bottom line, this bill targets real extreme hate, not faith talk. As the Senate weighs in, keep an eye on how it shapes up without chilling free expression. Stay informed with Calgary News today, AI-powered updates.