Bill C-257
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- ENGLISH
- SUMMARY SUMMARY
- 1 Criminal Code 1 Criminal Code
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First Session, Forty-fifth Parliament, 3-4 Charles III, 2025 |
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HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA |
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of terrorist activity or group)
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FIRST READING, November 17, 2025
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Mr. Baber |
SUMMARY
This enactment amends the Criminal Code to create an offence of wilfully promoting a terrorist activity or a terrorist group, or any activity of a terrorist group.
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Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca
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1st Session, 45th Parliament, 3-4 Charles III, 2025 |
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HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA |
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BILL C-257 |
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An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of terrorist activity or group) |
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
R.S., c. C-46
Criminal Code
1 Paragraph (a) of the definition terrorism offence in section 2 of the Criminal Code is replaced by the following:
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(a) an offence under any of sections 83.02 to 83.04 or Insertion start 83.171 Insertion end to 83.23,
2 The heading before section 83.18 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Insertion start Promoting Insertion end , Participating, Facilitating, Instructing and Harbouring
Wilful promotion of terrorist activity or terrorist group
Start of inserted block83.171 (1) Every person who, by communicating statements, wilfully promotes any terrorist activity or terrorist group, or any activity of a terrorist group, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years.
End of inserted blockProsecution
Start of inserted block(2) An offence may be committed under subsection (1) whether or not the statements communicated by the accused
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(a) specifically or generally relate to a terrorist activity or terrorist group, or to an activity of a terrorist group; or
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(b) actually encouraged or instigated any person to participate in a terrorist activity or in an activity of a terrorist group.
End of inserted block
Defences
Start of inserted block(3) No person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (1) if
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(a) they establish that the statements communicated were true;
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(b) in good faith, they expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text;
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(c) the statements were relevant to any subject of public interest, the discussion of which was for the public benefit, and they believe on reasonable grounds that the statements are true; or
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(d) in good faith, they intended to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters promoting or tending to promote a terrorist activity or terrorist group, or an activity of a terrorist group.
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Definitions
Start of inserted block(4) In this section, communicating and statements have the same meaning as in subsection 319(7).
End of inserted block3 The portion of section 83.26 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Sentences to be served consecutively
83.26 A sentence, other than one of life imprisonment, imposed on a person for an offence under any of sections 83.02 to 83.04 and Insertion start 83.171 Insertion end to 83.23 shall be served consecutively to
4 Paragraph (a) of the definition offence in section 183 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subparagraph (xii.3):
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Start of inserted block
(xii.31) section 83.171 (wilful promotion of terrorist activity or terrorist group),
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Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons
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