It has been said that when you abandon freedom for the perception of safety you lose both. Bill C-9, the Canadian government’s new “Combatting Hate” legislation criminalizes dissent by threatening Charter rights and the civil liberties of all people in Canada, including those communities that seek protection. George Orwell would be shocked to see how much of 1984 has now become a part of 2025.
As political divides and MAGA politics invade Canada through neoliberalism, fascism and unregulated toxic capitalism, we are witnessing an escalation of the abuse of political power. While our governments have been slow to protect marginalized groups such as Black, LGBTQ+ and Indigenous peoples’ rights, this fast-tracked draconian legislation is intended to provide federal cover for unconstitutional municipal “Bubble Zoning Laws”. These by-laws prohibit peaceful protests (that some people may find “offensive and disruptive”) near various community gathering spaces (buildings). It seems that we are on a slippery slope that has the Canadian public losing its freedoms.
Bill-9 introduces over-reaching restrictions on public discourse and freedom of speech, both on the streets and on-line. The Canadian government has already greatly restricted the public’s freedoms to discourse using laws restricting the usage of masks at protests and display of certain symbols of listed “terrorist” entities. The police and Canadian government officials continue to target pro- Palestinian protesters and anti-genocide musical groups such as KNEECAP.
These new hate crime laws will presume that a suspect is guilty without any pre-trial or even clear descriptions on what a hate crime is and to whom it is being applied to. Police would have increased powers to identify any individuals as hate crime suspects according to that individuals own perception of hate, leading to further abuse of powers using vague ‘laws’.
Such bills can and will harm our way of life, our freedom to protest, resist, speak out and stand up for one another. Threats to our ability to organize and rally will silence legitimate voices supporting unions, denouncing authoritarianism and defending the rights for First Nations to hold sacred ceremonies and gatherings. How can we have any confidence in a system that has been on the wrong side of pipelines and Indigenous sovereignty, Black Lives Matter and policing and tolerant of politicians using the hate speech of Anti-DEI, Anti-Trans Rights and Residential school denial as political platforms?
The issue is so pressing that on the Canadian Civil Liberties Society had released a statement via press release denouncing the bill and has warned… “The new intimidation offence is so broadly and vaguely defined that it could lead to the suppression of constitutionally protected expression and peaceful assembly. Ironically, this new offence could prevent workers and members of marginalized groups from protesting outside of their own institutions, thereby depriving people of opportunities to express dissent in situations where they face power imbalances.” The press release also states that 37 civil society groups have signed a joint letter to the Canadian government to protect the rights of Canadian and reverse course on the bill in order to protect the rights and freedoms of vulnerable Canadians whom will be disproportionately affected by the bill.
The Canadian government’s approach to Bill C-9 is a thoughtless solution that is designed to protect only the rich and powerful while wiping out Canadian freedoms and rights many have fought for. It is in every Canadian’s interest to educate and inform themselves on how to resist this encroachment on the public’s only power. Without freedom of speech we are inevitably subject to the extremism and violence of its benefactors. It is critical that we support efforts to end further Government overreach and abuse of power. We must never give up our right to peaceful discourse. This is not a fight that we can afford to lose.