Hate crime legislation coming soon, bail and sentencing reform to follow: Fraser
By Canadian Press on September 16, 2025.
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says he will introduce new hate crime legislation in the coming days, with reforms on bail and violent crime sentencing to follow.
Fraser says the legislation will go beyond campaign commitments of protecting religious institutions from “obstruction and intimidation” and include measures for the broader community.
During the election, the Liberals promised to make it a criminal offence to obstruct access to or threaten people visiting a place of worship, school or community centre.
Police reports of hate crimes have been on the rise since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, and subsequent war in Gaza.
Fraser says parts of the new bill “may reflect” hate crime provisions that were first introduced in the Online Harm Act, which did not pass before the election reset the legislative agenda.
The minister says he plans to introduce legislation around bail and sentencing reform in October.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
11-10
There is a great deal of legislation in place already, but it is rarely used. We need to start laying charges so there are deterrents. The Crown and law enforcement need to get their acts together.
Pro-Hamas protesters burned our flag, called for genocide of the Jews, death to Canada and nothing was done.
Nothing was done as their disinformation and hatred spread like cancer! In fact, in one documented case police handed out coffee to the pro-Hamas protesters.
That is not free speech when you burn our flag and call for the death of Canada and the genocide of all Jews! The line was crossed and nothing was done! Are you waiting for Canada to have the issues now found in Paris and London and other European countries? Is your mindset, ‘well it is happening in those countries so we just have to accept them here in Canada’!