Christians In Canada Fight Back, Stalling Hate Speech Bill - For Now

For weeks, a quiet but determined movement has been building across Canada. It hasn't involved riots, burning streets, or angry mobs. Instead, it has taken shape through phone calls, town halls, petitions, prayer, and persistent civic engagement. And--for now--it has worked.

Bill C-9, the Liberal government's proposed hate speech legislation that many Christians believe poses a serious threat to religious freedom, has been stalled. Not defeated. Not withdrawn. But paused. And in today's political climate, even that pause is significant.

Christians across Canada have been sounding the alarm that Bill C-9, while framed as an expansion of protections against hate, would remove long-standing safeguards for sincerely held religious beliefs. Critics argue the bill blurs the line between actual criminal incitement and lawful religious expression--especially teachings rooted in Scripture that conflict with prevailing cultural norms. For many believers, this is not an abstract legal debate. It is about sermons, counseling, teaching children, and publicly articulating biblical convictions without fear of legal punishment.

At the heart of the opposition is a concern that Bill C-9 opens the door to what some MPs have bluntly called "thought crime"--where speech deemed offensive by the state becomes punishable, even if it is peacefully expressed and religiously grounded. Christians fear that once the government assumes the authority to define which beliefs are acceptable, freedom of conscience becomes conditional, not guaranteed.

That concern sparked action.

The advocacy group 4 My Canada launched a massive grassroots campaign titled "12 Days for Freedom," held from January 19 to 26. What began with modest expectations quickly turned into a national wave of engagement. Roughly 2,000 Canadians placed more than 40,000 phone calls to Members of Parliament--many targeting Liberal MPs elected by narrow margins.

Executive Director Faytene Grassechi, who also hosts a popular Christian television program, said the response far exceeded expectations.

"When we organized this, we anticipated a few hundred participants and perhaps ten to fifteen thousand calls," she said. "Instead, Canadians delivered more than 40,000 phone calls to Members of Parliament in just twelve days. We were amazed at the response. Clearly, Canadians are concerned."

Alongside grassroots pressure, several Members of Parliament helped galvanize opposition. MPs Garnett Genuis, Andrew Lawton, and Larry Brock held a packed Religious Freedom Town Hall on January 20 at the Galaxy Grand Convention Centre in Brampton, drawing believers from across the region who are increasingly uneasy about the trajectory of federal policy toward people of faith.

Grassechi did not mince words about the broader implications.

"Plainly put, this is the wrong bill at the wrong time," she said. "It reflects poorly on the Liberals--especially alongside recent threats related to the revocation of charitable status for faith-based organizations. To many Canadians, this signals growing opposition to people of faith who are not part of the government's traditional voting base."

Then came a development few expected so quickly.

On January 26, the Justice Committee voted to delay consideration of Bill C-9, allowing other criminal legislation to move forward instead. The Liberals, after repeated Conservative attempts in recent weeks, agreed to focus on bail reform, sidelining C-9--at least temporarily.

MP Andrew Lawton was direct in attributing the delay to public pressure.

"Your voices have been heard loud and clear," Lawton said. "The messages that you've been sending Members of Parliament--you've been calling their offices, writing emails--they have worked."

He warned, however, against complacency.

"Now, Bill C-9 is not dead forever. The Liberals have still said they intend to push this bill forward... But we've bought ourselves two weeks."

That warning matters. Many Christians believe this bill will return at a more "opportune" moment--perhaps when a high-profile incident or emotionally charged news story can be used to frame opposition as intolerant or extreme. The strategy is familiar: wait for the right narrative, then move quickly while public resistance is muted.

Still, for now, believers can take a breath.

What stands out in this moment is not just the outcome, but the method. In a world increasingly defined by rage, chaos, and ideological violence, Canadian Christians demonstrated that peaceful, respectful, persistent civic action still matters. They didn't shout down opponents. They didn't burn bridges. They showed up. They spoke clearly. And they reminded lawmakers that freedom of religion is not a fringe concern--it is foundational.

This pause in Bill C-9 is a reminder that engagement works. It also serves as a warning: freedoms are rarely lost all at once. They erode quietly, clause by clause, bill by bill--unless people are paying attention.

For now, Christians in Canada wait. Watchful. Prayerful. Grateful for a temporary reprieve. And more aware than ever that making a difference does not require force--only faith, courage, and the willingness to stand when it counts.