Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre raised concerns on Monday about the targeting of Christians and their places of worship, vowing to combat religion-based hate by imposing stricter penalties for offenses like arson. Addressing reporters during an event on rising food prices, Poilievre expressed dismay over the recent wave of church burnings, which he characterized as “terrorist attacks” aimed at the Christian community.
Highlighting that approximately 100 churches have been set ablaze, Poilievre stated that Christians may be the primary targets of hate-motivated violence, a fact he believes is often overlooked due to political correctness. Recent data from Statistics Canada revealed that the majority of reported hate crimes against religious groups in 2023 were directed at Jews (70%) and Muslims (16%).
The statistics indicated a significant surge in hate crimes targeting religions, with a total of 1,284 incidents recorded in 2023, marking a 67% increase from the previous year. Notably, there was a notable rise in crimes against Catholics following revelations by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation regarding potential burials at a former Catholic-run residential school.
Reports of church attacks continue to surface, with a historic Ukrainian Orthodox Church near Edmonton being the latest target of arson. Several other churches across different regions in Canada have also been set on fire this year, underscoring a concerning trend of attacks on Christian establishments.
In a bid to address this escalating issue, Poilievre emphasized the urgent need to curb anti-Christian sentiments and proposed a stringent legal approach, including harsher penalties for offenders, enhanced hate crime legislation, deportation of foreign criminals, and increased support for law enforcement agencies.
Poilievre stressed that all Canadians, regardless of their faith, should be able to practice their religion peacefully and without fear of violence.
