Canada Pauses Hate Crimes Bill for Bail Reform Priority

OTTAWA — The Liberal government has paused its review of a controversial hate crimes bill to prioritize legislation aimed at tightening bail rules, a decision approved by a House of Commons justice committee on Monday amid calls for faster action on criminal reforms.

The committee voted to halt the clause-by-clause study of Bill C-9, known as the Combatting Hate Act, and shift focus to Bill C-14, the government's bail reform package. The move, proposed in a Liberal motion, received support from most members except those from the Bloc Québécois. Lawmakers plan to resume work on the hate crimes bill after completing their examination of the bail measures, which includes hearing testimony from Justice Minister Sean Fraser.

The decision follows an agreement between the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois to amend Bill C-9 by removing religious exemptions from hate speech provisions in the Criminal Code. The bill, introduced in September, seeks to create new criminal offenses for obstructing or intimidating people at places of worship, aiming to enhance protections against hate-motivated acts. However, the amendment has drawn sharp criticism from religious leaders and opposition figures,...