The battle over Bill C-9, the federal government’s proposed anti-hate law, has blown up a cultural divide that not only pits Quebec against the rest of Canada, but seriously questions Ottawa’s willingness to tackle hate crimes. If Prime Minister Mark Carney gets the balance wrong, he risks both empowering hatemongers and fanning the flames of Quebec separatism — at a time when national unity is more crucial than ever.

The fight hinges on the religious exemption in Canada’s hate speech law, which shields speech from prosecution when based “on a belief in a religious text.” Last week, the Bloc Québécois reached a deal with Justice Minister Sean Fraser to support the bill in exchange for removing the exemption. Conservatives immediately accused the government of threatening religious freedo

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