The Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights of Canada’s House of Commons ended the debate on the Combating Hate Act on Wednesday. Several groups criticized the push for passage, claiming that the bill is poorly drafted and would violate the freedoms of speech and religion.

The Combatting Hate Act, Bill C-9, would criminalize the “wilful promotion of hatred” by display of symbols of listed terrorist groups, the Nazi swastika, and other symbols that “so nearly resemble” them. The legislation would also criminalize offenses motivated by “hatred” based on specific personal characteristics. On Wednesday, the committee passed the finalized version of the bill for third reading by a vote of 5-4.

The finalized version re-adopted the definition articulated by the Supreme Court of Canada, which requires extreme manifestations of detestation and vilification to establish “hatred.” It also reintroduced the requirement for the Attorney General’s consent to laying charges as a procedural safeguard to prevent politically-motivated prosecutions.

However, Christine Van Geyn, interim executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, criticized the removal of the good-faith religious speech defense. She contended that the defense not only is extremely narrow and difficult to succeed at trial but is also essential to protect free speech and prevent over-criminalizing faith and genuine religious traditions. Minister of Justice Sean Fraser clarified that practicing one’s religion can never constitute a hate crime and, thus, requires no such defense in the bill.

The House standing committee has been reviewing the bill for the last five months. On March 10, the House voted, by 186-144, to require the committee to finish its clause-by-clause consideration without further debate. Conservative lawmakers on the committee accused the Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois of “ramming through Parliament and censoring the debate.” On the other hand, Fraser acknowledged that limiting the debate is abnormal but necessary to move forward when the bill is being “obstructed and filibustered.”

Fraser first tabled the bill in September 2025. He intended that the bill would promote diversity and protect Canadians’ ability to live freely. However, more than 40 civil liberties groups, such as the Canadian Bar Association, 2SLGBTQIA+ group Egale, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Labour Congress, and the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, expressed their concerns last fall that the intimidation offense–prohibiting the “obstruction or interference” with access to places of worships, schools and other buildings primarily used by marginalized groups–is vague and overbroad, violating the right to peaceful assembly.

The third reading of the bill is expected to take place in the week of March 23-27. The legislative progress of the bill remains a developing story.