The Government of Canada has recently proposed Bill C-367, which, among other things, removes religious exemptions to defend hate speech. From February 16 to 18, 2024, we surveyed Canadians to find out their opinion and perceptions on Bill C-367 and hate speech law.
Download the report to learn more.
Some of the key highlights of our survey about hate speech law in Canada include…
- Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (63%) are aware that the Canadian Criminal Code contains a section on hate speech, compared to a quarter (26%) who are not aware and 11% who do not know. Canadians aged 55 and over (72%) and Ontarians (67%) are more likely to be aware, while Quebecers are more likely not to be aware (34%).
- Two-thirds of Canadians (66%) support Bill C-367, which would remove the privilege currently granted to religions or religious authorities concerning hate speech in Canada, compared to a third (34%) who do not support it. Three-quarters of Quebecers (75%) are more likely to support Bill C-367.
Methodology
This web survey was conducted from February 16 to 18, 2024, with 1,529 Canadians aged 18 or older, randomly recruited from LEO’s online panel. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of 1,529 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.51 %, 19 times out of 20.