In a move that strikes at the heart of Canada’s foundational principles, the Liberal government is fast-tracking Bill C-9, a hate speech bill that would strip away protections for sincerely held religious beliefs. This isn’t hyperbole—it’s the direct result of a political deal with the Bloc Québécois, where the Liberals agreed to remove a key exemption to secure support and ram the legislation through Parliament. As of today, this amendment threatens to criminalize passages from sacred texts like the Bible, Quran, and Torah, turning expressions of faith into potential hate crimes.
Dr. Leslyn Lewis, Conservative MP for Haldimand—Norfolk, warned in a stark post this afternoon: “The Liberal government has agreed to remove the religious exemption in their hate speech bill, C-9… This shift comes at the direct expense of Christians and other religious communities across Canada. No government should ever negotiate away religious liberty in exchange for political support.”
The Liberal government has agreed to remove the religious exemption in their hate speech bill, C-9, in order to secure Bloc support and push this bill through Parliament.
— Dr. Leslyn Lewis (@LeslynLewis) December 1, 2025
This is not a minor adjustment. This shift comes at the direct expense of Christians and other religious… https://t.co/JmFGZw6VQX
The National Post broke the story earlier today, detailing how the deal eliminates safeguards for “sincerely held” religious beliefs, opening the door for subjective enforcement that could target sermons, Bible studies, or even private prayers.
Liberal deal with Bloc means hate-speech laws will lose exemption for 'sincerely held' religious belief https://t.co/3x0Yw0uJJb pic.twitter.com/4GL4WHGm0B
— National Post (@nationalpost) December 1, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre echoed the alarm in a video statement, declaring: “C-9 will criminalize sections of the Bible, Quran, Torah, and other sacred texts.”
Liberal-Bloc amendments to C-9 will criminalize sections of the Bible, Quran, Torah, and other sacred texts.
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) December 1, 2025
Conservatives will oppose this latest Liberal assault on freedom of expression and religion.
Sign here. Defend religious freedom. Keep Liberal thought police out of your… pic.twitter.com/WJXqUcMC8q
Michelle Rempel Garner, MP for Calgary Nose Hill, added a sobering note: “Without religious freedom, Canada will cease to be Canada. This must be stopped.”
And it’s not just rhetoric. Advocacy groups are mobilizing, with one urgent Facebook reel highlighting the risk of “criminalizing your sincerely held faith beliefs” and urging Canadians—especially in Quebec—to contact their MPs and sign petitions against the bill.
This isn’t the first time federal overreach has endangered our Charter rights under Section 2, which guarantees freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including religious expression. Bill C-9 lowers the bar for what constitutes “hatred” by replacing “extreme detestation” with vaguer terms like “detestation” or “vilification,” and it scraps the need for Attorney General approval before charges can be laid. Critics fear this will empower politically motivated prosecutions, much like the unaddressed anti-Semitism and church arsons that persist despite existing Criminal Code provisions (sections 319.1, 319.2, and 319.7) already on the books.
Alberta’s Path Forward: A Constitution Built on Faith, Family, and Freedom
The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) has long warned that federal indifference to our values demands bold action. Our proposed policies for an independent Alberta aren’t abstract ideals—they’re a blueprint for survival.
Central to our vision is the creation of The Constitution of Alberta, drafted with and for all Albertans, guaranteeing that “all people are created equal” while enshrining core freedoms. Under APP governance:
- Freedom of Religion: Explicit protections for sincerely held beliefs, ensuring no federal-style censorship can touch our places of worship, homes, or hearts. We’ll constitutionally safeguard the Judeo-Christian foundations of civil society alongside the rule of law and individual rights.
- Freedom of Speech and Expression: Unfettered discourse, free from vague “hate speech” traps that target Bible verses or honest debate.
- The Five Freedoms (F.A.C.E.E.): A prosperous framework including religious liberty, alongside freedoms of association, conscience, education, and enterprise—plus responsible gun ownership to defend our way of life. Read more on F.A.C.E.E.
These aren’t optional add-ons; they’re the bedrock of an independent nation where Faith, Family, and Freedom are non-negotiable. As Alberta faces federal bills that equate scripture with crime, our policies ensure religious expression thrives, not survives.
The Urgency: Act Now or Lose Forever
Bill C-9 isn’t a distant threat—it’s barreling toward royal assent, potentially by year’s end, unless Canadians force a reckoning. Alberta’s prosperity, our churches, our Bibles—these are under siege from a system that views them as bargaining chips.
The time for independence is now. Join the Alberta Prosperity Project today: Sign our pledge, attend a town hall, or donate to fuel the fight. Visit albertaprosperity.com to download our full policies and rationale for sovereignty. Together, we’ll build a nation where religious freedom isn’t debated—it’s defended.
Alberta strong. Alberta free. For our children, for our faith—independence or irrelevance.
For more on APP’s vision, explore our Proposed Policies PDF and Rationale for Independence.