Bruce Cooper

Christian Religious Freedoms in Canada

I seriously thought of making the title read: “Christian Religious Limitations in Canada” because of the prevalent secular direction that Canada is increasingly heading, but thought better of it. In Canada, Christians do need to be aware of the legal limitations that we are subject to under current Canadian law.

In Canada, public quotes from the Bible (or Biblical speech) condemning homosexuality have been legally determined to be hate speech. 

“The code itself outlaws material that ‘exposes or tends to expose to hatred’ any person or group, on the usual list of prohibited grounds. It is not necessary, that is, to show the material in question actually exposes anyone to hatred — only that it might,” This is something that all Canadian Christians really need to be aware of. 

Canada’s criminal code reads: “Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, willfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of . . . an indictable offense and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.“

I am providing some information and background links below that would be prudent for all Canadian Christians to at least be conversant with:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_2_of_the_Canadian_Charter_of_Rights_and_Freedoms

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Canada

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/rights-lgbti-persons.html

https://christiannews.net/2013/02/28/canadian-supreme-court-rules-biblical-speech-opposing-homosexual-behavior-is-a-hate-crime/

In order to know the limitations that Canadian Christians are required by Law to adhere to, it is necessary to understand Canadian Law.

These following videos presented by the Canadian Christian Legal Fellowship team (https://www.christianlegalfellowship.org/team) are an excellent place to start:

Series Overview Trailer   7:21 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BomjBmr-shA&feature=emb_logo

Episode 1 : Freedom of Conscience   12:17 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rYzK0e72Lo&feature=emb_logo

Episode 2 : Freedom of thought, belief, opinion, the press and other media of communication     8:34 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVdwWZt-Glc&feature=emb_logo

Episode 3 : Freedom of peaceful assembly     6:55 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63YfFu6ATE&feature=emb_logo

Episode 4 : Freedom of association     6:17 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3OS6uUm70o&feature=emb_logo

Good News Update:    3:31 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVzky9o2DAo

I am, as a Canadian Christian, legally allowed to express my personal Biblical opinion on such things as homosexuality, transgender equality issues, same sex marriage and same sex adoption, in private or closed groups, but not in public discourses, where what I am disseminating is open to the general public. All Canadians are allowed to voice their opinion on the topic of abortions under Canadian law, because having an abortion is not a Canadian Constitutional right. 

Can this get dicey? Yes it can and also very expensive from a legal cost perspective, if challenged through the courts, so this is something that Canadian Christians really need to be aware of. 

19 comments

  2. I pray for us (U. S.) every night. And right after that, I pray for Canada, too. I guess I’m really praying for the people of these two nations. The U.S. and Canada as nations may be rapidly declining, but I believe God is saving a remnant for Himself.

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    • Hi Annie, I’m assuming you are back from your “adventure”! It’s definitely getting dicey here, that is for sure and I agree with you about the remnant. Thank you for the prayers. Blessings to you and yours as always.

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  9. Bruce, thanks for the Canadian perspective. It’s only a matter of time before the Bible will be declared “hate literature.”

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