Bible on Trial, Black Lives on Hold, Canada’s Moral Panic Exposed

Canada is having a moment, and not the reflective, progress-forward kind. More like a policy spiral where lawmakers move fast on symbolism and slow on justice.

Across the country, a wave of proposals is shaking public debate. In Quebec, the government is moving to ban public prayer, target head and face coverings, and defund religious schools. At the federal level, Liberal politicians are now sparking outrage with rhetoric that could criminalize the Bible itself, arguing that certain passages “incite hate” against the LGBTQ+ community.

Yes, the Bible is being dragged into the legislative spotlight.

To be clear, protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and violence is essential and non-negotiable. But here’s the uncomfortable truth Canada keeps dodging, while governments rush to regulate belief and expression, the country still has no dedicated bill protecting Black people.

Not one.

Despite decades of documented anti-Black racism, despite over-policing and under-policing, despite disparities in housing, employment, healthcare, and education, Black Canadians remain without a comprehensive federal law designed to address their specific and ongoing harm.

Quebec’s renewed focus on policing religion does not land evenly. Public prayer bans and restrictions on religious dress disproportionately affect racialized communities, particularly Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, and Black Christians. For many Black Canadians, the church is not just a place of worship, it is a community anchor, a political organizing hub, and a lifeline in a society that often marginalizes them.

Yet while lawmakers scrutinize scripture and religious expression, the systems that have failed Black communities for generations remain largely untouched.

Canada has acknowledged anti-Black racism in speeches and strategy documents. There have been consultations, task forces, and public apologies. What there has not been is legislation with teeth. There is no federal Anti-Black Racism Act, no binding national policing standards, no enforceable accountability framework, no mandatory race-based data collection across all sectors.

Black Canadians are told change takes time, even as governments move with urgency when the issue involves religion, morality, or political optics.

The irony is hard to ignore. Black communities are among the most over-policed in Canada, yet when they call for justice, they are met with delay. At the same time, under-policing leaves Black families without protection or closure when they need it most. These realities are well documented, yet still, no bill.

This moment forces a necessary question. Why is Canada willing to legislate belief before it legislates Black safety? Why is it easier to debate scripture than to dismantle systemic racism? Why are Black communities repeatedly asked to wait while others see swift policy responses?

This is not about choosing between religious freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Canada is capable of protecting multiple communities at once. The issue is not capacity, it is political will.

Until Black Canadians see real, enforceable legislation, not statements, not acknowledgements, not roundtables, every new moral panic will ring hollow.

Because while Canada debates prayer, clothing, and scripture, Black lives remain unprotected by law.

Watch the Livestream: