🍁 civid v1

Status and timing

• The supplied text identifies C-9 as having received royal assent on June 18, 2026. It comes into force 30 days later.
• It amends the Criminal Code. The text does not identify a cost or funding provision.

Criminal Code changes

• Hate symbols: Creates an offence of wilfully promoting hatred against an identifiable group by displaying specified symbols in a public place. These include symbols principally used by or associated with a listed entity, the Nazi Hakenkreuz, SS bolts, a noose, and certain closely resembling symbols. The maximum penalty on indictment is two years’ imprisonment.
• Defences: Repeals the defences based on expressing opinions on religious subjects or texts for the existing offences of wilful promotion of hatred and antisemitism. For the new symbol offence, defences cover legitimate purposes—including journalism, education or art—that are not contrary to the public interest, and certain good-faith displays intended to identify and remove sources of hatred.
• Hate-motivated offences: Creates a separate offence where an offence under the Criminal Code or another federal Act is motivated by hatred based on listed factors, including race, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Depending on the underlying offence, the maximum penalty on indictment can be five, 10 or 14 years, or life imprisonment. An accused may instead be found guilty of the underlying offence if the hate-crime offence is not proved.
• Access to places: Creates offences for conduct intended to provoke fear to impede access, and for intentionally obstructing or interfering with lawful access without lawful authority. Protected places include cemeteries, buildings primarily used for religious worship, and certain buildings used by identifiable groups for activities, education, daycare or seniors’ residences. The maximum penalty on indictment is 10 years. Merely attending, approaching or being near a place solely to obtain or communicate information is not an obstruction offence.
• Other powers and procedures: Allows forfeiture of things used in or connected with specified hate-propaganda offences, including the new symbol offence. Attorney General consent is required before proceedings for the new symbol offence. The bill also adds the new intimidation offence to provisions concerning designated offences and release conditions.

Clarifications

• Defines hatred for the relevant provisions as an intense and extreme emotion clearly associated with vilification and detestation. A statement does not promote hatred solely because it discredits, humiliates, hurts or offends.
• Says the relevant provisions do not prohibit public-interest statements—including educational, religious, political or scientific statements—if they do not wilfully promote hatred, or, under the antisemitism provision, wilfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust.