Protecting Fundamental Rights — Our Concerns with Bill C-9

The CLC condemns all forms of hate, discrimination, and harassment. We will continue to fight for the rights that make Canada a free and democratic country. 

This is why we, alongside civil liberties organizations, oppose the current version of Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.  

The version of the Bill being debated in the House of Commons has the potential to infringe on our hard fought-for rights of freedom of expression and freedom of association with little to no oversight. 

Parliament should not pass this Bill without considerable amendment. As drafted, the Bill threatens labour rights, fundamental freedoms, the right to protest, and public accountability. 

With Bill C-9, the federal government proposes to create three new offenses: a hate crime offense, an offense of willfully promoting hatred against an identifiable group, and an intimidation offense.  

Canada already has criminal offences in place to combat hate like mischief, intimidation, and harassment. Police currently have the “ancillary powers” to create exclusion zones for protests, which has the potential to limit freedom of expression and our right to peaceful protest. Three Canadian cities (Toronto, Vaughn, and Ottawa) have created bubble zone bylaws, aimed to protect identifiable groups from hate and harassment when accessing health care (abortion clinics), and attending school and places of worship.  

More mirroring legislation and additional powers given to law enforcement is not necessary. 

We need to protect the fundamental rights that allow Canadians to participate fully in our society and to voice dissent without fear. In today’s political climate, defending these core freedoms is more important than ever. 

This legislation comes at a moment when we are witnessing alarming rights violations in the United States. The National Guard is being deployed to cities to target and deport immigrants under the guise of combating crime. The U.S. Department of Justice and ICE have arrested, charged, and prosecuted protesters for speaking out against immigration raids and for participating in Palestinian solidarity demonstrations. The Trump administration continues to single out vulnerable communities — including trans people and immigrants — while actively eroding core First Amendment rights. 

We cannot allow fundamental rights to be weakened or undermined in Canada. We must ensure that every person here can participate fully in society and speak out without fear. 

We have already witnessed these trends in American governance creep across the border. Since Trump’s inauguration, we have experienced a significant and frightening tariff war, pressure to concede to US demands, and a push to increase border security and crack down on migrants and refugees. 

That’s why we have serious concerns about Bill C-9. Without amendment, it will undermine core democratic rights and expand state powers in ways that put workers and marginalized communities at risk. 

Bill C-9 makes it easier for the state to prosecute people by expanding discretionary police powers and removing the requirement for the Attorney General’s consent. Without amendment, it will lower the bar for criminal charges and give law enforcement wide authority with little oversight. 

This opens the door to the criminalization of peaceful protest and collective action. Without amendment, it will disproportionately impact Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities. 

For workers, the threat is clear. The Charter protects the right to strike — yet without amendment, Bill C-9 will erode this right, making certain legal job actions a criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison. This is a direct attack on organized labour and freedom of association. 

The Bill’s broad and vague language compounds these risks. Without amendment, it will grant sweeping powers without accountability, putting free expression, peaceful assembly, and democratic participation in danger. 

We all want to stop hate crimes and keep people safe in their communities. But Bill C-9, without amendment, will not do that. Instead, it will weaken the very freedoms that keep people safe — the right to speak out, to organize, and to participate fully in society.  

We pushed back hard against U.S. tariffs. We must bring that same resolve to opposing legislation that, without amendment, will chip away at our rights here at home.