Committee Blocks Study on Attacks on Places of Worship
A House of Commons committee voted 7-4 to uphold a chair's ruling that a proposed study on attacks against churches and other places of worship was out of scope.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Christianity
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A House of Commons committee blocked a motion to study arsons, shootings and other attacks on places of worship since 2021, after members voted 7-4 to uphold the chair's ruling that the motion was inadmissible. The chair said the motion dealt primarily with matters under the Criminal Code and fell outside the committee's mandate.
Why it matters
Police-reported hate crimes targeting religious groups in Canada rose from 469 in 2015 to 1,115 in 2025, and the federal government has confirmed 423 police-reported arsons at places of worship since 2015. The ruling means the proposed study will not proceed at this committee, with the chair suggesting it be taken up by the justice or public safety committees instead.
Police-reported hate incidents against religious groups rose from 469 in 2015 to 1,115 in 2025, according to federal figures. A Juno News analysis tracked 133 Christian churches vandalized, burned or desecrated since 2021, with at least 33 destroyed by fire and arrests in nine of those cases.
The players
Andrew Lawton
Conservative Member of Parliament who challenged the committee chair's ruling that the motion was inadmissible.
Glenn Baxter
Investigator leading an independent forensic probe into church fires and attacks on places of worship.
The details
The chair ruled that the proposed study did not focus on heritage or identity and was instead primarily a Criminal Code matter, which prevented related recommendations. Conservative MP Andrew Lawton challenged the ruling before the 7-4 vote to uphold it.
Timeline
2015: Baseline year for the hate-crime and arson statistics cited.
2021: Tracking period for church vandalism and fires begins.
Sept. 20: A shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont. severely wounded a police officer.
May: The Toronto Doctrinal Foundation launched an independent forensic investigation led by Glenn Baxter.
Next year: Findings from the forensic investigation are expected to be released.
Season Trajectory
Police-reported hate crimes against religious groups in Canada have more than doubled since 2015, rising from 469 to 1,115 incidents. The committee's decision to refer the matter elsewhere leaves the broader trend without a dedicated parliamentary study at this stage.
For members of Christian congregations and other faith communities, the ruling means the proposed parliamentary study will not move forward at this committee. Congregations seeking clarity on security risks may watch the justice and public safety committees, where the chair suggested the matter be brought.
The takeaway
The committee's decision shows that questions about attacks on places of worship may be routed to other parliamentary bodies rather than studied directly. Readers following the issue can track the justice and public safety committees for any future action.
What happens next
Findings from the independent forensic investigation into church fires led by Glenn Baxter are expected to be released next year.
Further reading
Explore more coverage of Christianity in Canada for related context on faith communities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Theepochtimes.
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