As election day approaches, the campaign trail has been dominated by heated debates over tariffs, trade wars, housing affordability, defence spending and other issues in response to escalating tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Yet, amidst these pressing concerns, one critical issue has been conspicuously absent from the public discourse of the three main party leaders—the alarming rise in hate crimes in Canada and the urgent need to combat hate to preserve this country’s pluralistic and inclusive society.
The silence of the three main parties on this issue reflects a troubling prioritization of economic issues over the growing tide of hate that risks eroding social cohesion, potentially echoing the climate seen in the U.S.
Canada has long prided itself on its pluralism and tolerance, with Canadian politicians often contrasting its social policies with the more polarized environment in the United States. However, this self-image is increasingly disconnected from reality. Statistics Canada reports a staggering 400 per cent increase in police-reported hate crimes between 2013 and 2023, with incidents targeting racial, religious, and gender-diverse communities surging.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network estimates that less than one per cent of hate incidents are reported, with 223,000 self-reported cases in 2019 compared to just 1,951 police reports. This vast underreporting reveals the true scale of the problem, indicating that hate is far more pervasive than acknowledged by politicians or media.
The consequences are devastating. Recent years have seen horrific hate-motivated incidents, including the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting that killed six, the 2020 murder of a Muslim man outside a Toronto mosque, and the 2021 London, Ontario, truck attack that claimed four members of a Muslim family.
Antisemitic incidents have also spiked, with Jewish institutions the target of vandalism, with threats directed against synagogues, and bullets fired at a Jewish girls school in Toronto. In addition, since October 2023, there has been an explosion in Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism at levels not seen since the aftermath of 9/11. Asian Canadians also faced verbal and physical assaults fuelled by xenophobic narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leaders’ debates, in both English and French, further highlighted the omission of hate and racism from the campaign narrative. The party leaders discussed issues related to affordability, crime, and trade, but failed to mention hate crimes. This reflects a broader trend of politicians and parties prioritizing economic concerns over social issues, despite their interconnectedness—a society fractured by hate cannot thrive economically or socially.
Canada’s failure to address rising hate risks mirroring the divisive climate in the United States, where a lack of commitment to countering voices of hate during the Trump era has deepened societal fractures. Trump’s rhetoric—normalizing xenophobia, Islamophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiment—has emboldened hate groups in both the U.S. and Canada. Elements of this rhetoric are evident in the Conservatives’ pledge to deport non-citizens who they describes as “antisemitic,” a reference to anti-Israel and anti-genocide protesters. Critics argue this measure would target immigrants and stokes Islamophobia, given that over 90 per cent of Palestinians are Muslim. The party’s dismissal of transgender rights and alignment with anti-woke narratives further echo Trump’s xenophobic policies and narratives.
The 2SLGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender individuals, has also been targeted with increasing vitriol, often amplified by right-wing rhetoric and unprincipled politicians. These incidents are not isolated but part of a broader pattern threatening Canada’s social fabric and endangering minority communities.
The absence of substantive discussion on combating hate during the election is both puzzling and alarming. Several factors likely contribute to this silence.
First, the campaign has been dominated by immediate economic and geopolitical challenges arising from Donald Trump’s threats to Canada’s economy and sovereignty. These issues have dominated media coverage and voter attention since the start of the campaign, relegating social issues like hate crimes to the sidelines.
Second, addressing hate can be politically risky. It requires confronting uncomfortable truths about Canada’s history of Indigenous genocide, white supremacy, and systemic racism, and the role of influential voices in perpetuating hate—including those of politicians.
For the Conservatives, whose messaging has leaned into populist, anti-woke and, at times, xenophobic narratives, promising to tackle hate could alienate the party’s base. Current leader Pierre Poilievre’s January 2025 interview with far-right personality Jordan Peterson, where he downplayed Canada’s history of racism and claimed it was “imported,” exemplifies this reluctance to deal with the issue. Such statements misrepresent Canada’s historical realities—genocide, discriminatory immigration policies, white supremacy—while risking the normalization of narratives that dismiss the experiences of racialized communities. Furthermore, since the Conservative platform mentions hate in just two sentences, it underscores the party’s lack of commitment to addressing hate.
The Liberals have also avoided deep engagement around the issue of tackling hate, and are likely to maintain a centrist appeal and focus on economic stability. While the Liberal platform includes a small section on fighting hate, it focuses narrowly on gender-based violence and omits mentioning “racism” entirely. The previous Liberal government did allocate approximately $26 million annually since 2019 for anti-hate initiatives by community organizations, but critics argue this is insufficient given the scale of the crisis, and requires additional federal leadership.
As the only party with a racialized leader, the NDP has been more vocal about combatting hate, with party leader Jagmeet Singh calling out Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs for racist comments or actions. In one instance, he was ejected from the House of Commons for refusing to retract a racism allegation. However, the NDP platform doesn’t mention any comprehensive anti-hate strategy.
If the next government does not act decisively to tackle hate, Canada risks normalizing hate incidents, which are already far too frequent. The 2020 murder of George Floyd in the U.S. sparked a global racial reckoning, but, in Canada, systemic issues—like systemic anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiment, and anti-trans bigotry—persist. Provincial policies—such as Quebec’s Bill 21, which restricts religious symbols and violates Charter rights, and anti-trans initiatives in Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Alberta using the constitution’s “notwithstanding” clause as a shield—signal a growing tolerance for discriminatory policies. Federal leaders must confront these trends to preserve Canada’s pluralistic identity.
To address the hate crisis, the next government must adopt aggressive policies and programs. Key initiatives should include the following.
Increase Funding for Anti-Hate Initiatives: The current $26 million annually is inadequate. The government should allocate at least $75 million per year to support community-based programs, law enforcement anti-hate training, and victim support services.
Launch a National Anti-Hate Campaign: Invest $100 million over four years in a public education and media campaign highlighting the contributions of minority communities and the destructive impact of hate. This campaign should span television, radio, social media, and school-based initiatives, sharing stories of resilience, diversity, and the consequences of failing to counter hate.
Strengthen Hate Crime Enforcement: Rigorously enforce hate crime laws, particularly against influential public figures who promote hate. Online platforms like Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), which often amplify hateful voices using their algorithms, should face financial penalties commensurate with their revenues, and their executives should be held accountable under Canadian criminal laws.
Address Provincial Overreach: Work with provinces to discourage the misuse of the “notwithstanding” clause to violate charter rights. If provinces refuse, the federal government should consider using its power of disallowance under Section 56 of the Constitution Act, 1867, or tie federal funding to charter compliance.
The silence of Canada’s three main national political parties on combatting hate during the 2025 election is a missed opportunity to address a crisis threatening Canada’s social fabric. The surge in hate crimes over the past decade, coupled with horrific attacks on Muslims, Asian Canadians, Jews, and the 2SLGBTQ+ community, demands urgent action.
By increasing funding, launching a national education campaign, enforcing hate crime laws, and standing against provincial violations of charter rights, Canada can reaffirm its commitment to pluralism and avoid the conflict-ridden path that the U.S. is on. The stakes are high, and the time for action is now. Canada’s identity as a beacon of tolerance hinges on translating political rhetoric into meaningful change.
