An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of terrorist activity or group)

Bill C-257 (in 45-1, distinct from the 44-1 Bill C-257 on political-belief CHRA grounds) amends the Criminal Code (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46) to broaden the offence of promotion of terrorist activity or hatred motivated by terrorism. Builds on the 2002 post-September-11 anti-terrorism amendments (Bill C-36 of 37-1, S.C. 2001, c. 41) which added section 83.01 defining terrorist activity. The bill responds to the post-October-2023 rise in antisemitic and anti-Palestinian-Canadian hate-motivated incidents (Statistics Canada hate-crime reports for 2023 show the highest level on record). Critics including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association argue the expanded definition could chill Charter section 2(b) protected speech.