Liberal Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather has issued a robust defence of the federal government's proposed Combatting Hate Act, asserting its core purpose is to protect communities of faith from intimidation and obstruction. The MP for Mount Royal argues the legislation provides police with clear tools to intervene when religious spaces or gatherings are targeted.
Defending a Legacy of Religious Freedom
Housefather, writing in a December 22, 2025 opinion piece, anchored his defence in his personal political history. He recounted his time as mayor of Cote Saint-Luc, where he organized a rally for religious freedom to protest the Parti Quebecois' Charter of Values. As an MP, he similarly rallied against Quebec's Bill 21, which uses the Constitution's notwithstanding clause to restrict the wearing of religious symbols by some public servants.
"I have a long history of standing up for religious freedoms and would never support a bill that took them away," Housefather stated, positioning himself as a consistent defender of faith-based rights.
Countering Misinformation and Clarifying the Law's Intent
The MP directly addressed claims made by Conservative colleagues on the House of Commons Justice Committee, calling them "shocking." He emphasized that nothing in the proposed act prohibits praying, preaching, or quoting scripture. "In fact, the reverse is true," he wrote. "It actually enhances protection for people doing those things as a faith-based community."
Housefather clarified that religious freedom is enshrined as a fundamental right in Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He noted that the only mechanism to override this right is through the use of the notwithstanding clause, a tool he and the Liberal government oppose. The federal government is currently intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the use of that clause in the Bill 21 case.
The Political Divide on Constitutional Tools
The article highlights a stark political divide. Housefather pointed out that Conservatives have voted to support the use of the notwithstanding clause in contexts like Bill 21, while Liberals have consistently voted against it. This distinction, he implies, underscores which party is more committed to absolute protection for religious freedoms.
He also addressed specific concerns about amendments made during the committee's clause-by-clause review, particularly one from the Bloc Québécois involving a defence for someone charged with willfully promoting hatred outside of a private conversation. Housefather's framing suggests this is being misrepresented in public discourse.
To underscore the need for such legislation, Housefather referenced law enforcement statistics, noting that Toronto police have made 72 protest-related arrests since October 7, 2023. The Combatting Hate Act, in his view, sends a critical signal that Parliament expects police and prosecutors to actively protect communities of faith from intimidation and obstruction when they gather to worship.
