In this Advent episode of The Perspectivalist, Uri Brito is joined by Canadian pastors Dave Forsythe and Matt Hallick to discuss the growing threat to religious liberty in Canada, focusing on the proposed Bill C-9, known as the Combating Hate Speech Act. While presented as a measure to protect vulnerable groups, the bill increasingly places historic Christian teaching—and even specific biblical texts—under suspicion by the state.
🔗 Bill C-9 overview: https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/44-1/c-9

The discussion explains how Bill C-9 removes key legal safeguards, eliminates good-faith religious exemptions, and gives local law enforcement broad discretion to define “hate speech.” Forsythe and Hallick situate this moment within Canada’s longer trajectory of secularization, intensified by COVID-era church restrictions and a pietistic tendency within the Church to retreat from public life rather than confess Christ’s lordship over all things.

The episode closes with a call to courage. This is another defining moment for the Church—one that demands clarity rather than self-censorship. Canadian pastors are urged to speak boldly, engage publicly, and proclaim the crown rights of King Jesus with confidence and hope. Listeners are encouraged to support faithful advocacy efforts and remain vigilant.
🔗 ARPA Canada resources: https://arpacanada.ca