Background on the Promise

During the 2025 federal election campaign, Liberal Leader Mark Carney pledged to make it a criminal offence to intentionally and willfully intimidate or threaten individuals attending services at specific locations, such as places of worship. This commitment was part of a broader public safety platform aimed at cracking down on crime, including religious harassment and gang-related activities. The promise specifically targeted protecting vulnerable communities by creating new legal deterrents against such behaviors, emphasizing the need for tougher laws to ensure safer environments at these sites.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Since forming a minority government following the April 28, 2025, election, Prime Minister Mark Carney has prioritized public safety and crime reduction. In the early days of his term, the government announced intentions to implement tougher justice measures, including enhancements to bail conditions and border security. However, as of August 29, 2025, no specific legislation has been introduced or passed that directly creates a new criminal offence for intentionally intimidating or threatening attendees at service locations. Government statements and policy outlines have referenced ongoing plans to address religious harassment and community safety, but concrete steps like drafting or tabling a bill remain pending.

Legislation Proposed or Passed

To date, no bill has been proposed in Parliament that explicitly addresses this promise by amending the Criminal Code to include a new offence for willful intimidation or threats at service locations. The government's broader crime agenda, as outlined in post-election announcements, includes symbolic measures on public safety, but experts have noted that substantive legislative changes are still forthcoming. Discussions in Cabinet and parliamentary committees have touched on related issues, such as protecting places of worship, but no dedicated legislation has advanced beyond the planning stage.

Key Points of the Promise and Progress

The promise hinges on two main elements: establishing a criminal offence for "intentional and willful" acts of intimidation or threats, and applying this to "those attending services at these locations." On the first point, no new offence has been codified, meaning the legal framework remains unchanged. On the second point, while the government has signaled support for protecting religious and community services, there has been no targeted action to enforce this through law. If the promise moves forward, it would require introducing and passing a bill that clearly defines the offence, specifies penalties, and ensures it covers the intended locations, such as places of worship.

Status Assessment and Path Forward

Given the minority government's focus on crime as a top priority post-election, work appears to be underway in policy development. For the promise to be considered kept, a bill must be introduced, debated, and enacted into law, likely as an amendment to the Criminal Code, with royal assent by the end of the parliamentary session. It would become broken if the government fails to advance any legislation by the end of its term or explicitly abandons the commitment amid competing priorities like trade relations or economic issues. Currently, the lack of a proposed bill indicates early-stage efforts, but delays could arise from parliamentary gridlock in a minority setting.

Overall Status

This promise is in progress.