Communication Regarding Bill C-9 – Combatting Hate Act

Date posted on April 2, 2026

Over the past several months, Bill C-9 (The Combatting Hate Act) has been under consideration by the federal government. On March 25, 2026, the legislation passed third reading in the House of Commons and has now been sent to the Senate for review.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has communicated with Members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, to express concerns regarding aspects of the legislation that may impact faith communities.

On March 27, 2026, Cardinal Frank Leo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto, wrote to all Canadian Senators, asking them to carefully review the legislation and consider amendments in light of concerns raised by faith leaders, civil liberties experts, and others. The letter from Cardinal Leo can be found here.

We continue to pray that the Senate will give due consideration to these concerns and recommend amendments before returning the legislation to the House of Commons for further review.