Christian Finnish MP Paivi Rasanen has urged Canadian lawmakers to protect freedom of expression as they consider proposed changes to the country's hate speech laws.
In testimony submitted to the Canadian Senate Human Rights Committee, Räsänen drew on her own experience of a seven-year legal battle in Finland over statements expressing traditional Christian beliefs on marriage and sexuality.
The Finnish politician was convicted by Finland's Supreme Court earlier this year over a church booklet on marriage and sexual ethics that she wrote in 2004. The court upheld her acquittal over a separate social media post but ruled against her in relation to the booklet.
She recently told Canadian politicians that laws restricting religious speech could have a chilling effect on public debate and democratic freedoms.
“Censorship is one of the greatest existential threats to today’s democracies in Europe. You do not need to agree with my beliefs to see the danger of criminalizing peaceful speech. When the state controls which ideas and beliefs may be expressed, democracy becomes fragile. My case reveals where this path can lead.
“My experience in Finland has shown me that laws which criminalise speech have a very real cost not only to individuals, but also society at large. They encourage law-abiding citizens to censor their speech, and deprive wider society of conversations of critical importance."
Räsänen also warned against “hate speech” legislation that criminalises the peaceful expression of religious beliefs. She alluded to the Finnish Supreme Court’s decision to uphold her conviction even though her booklet “did not contain incitement to violence or comparable threat-like fomenting of hatred”.
“Even when courts ultimately acquit, our story shows how the process itself becomes the punishment," she said. "We have faced years of investigation, public scrutiny, and legal uncertainty. This creates a chilling effect, not just for Christians, but for everyone who holds views outside a narrow, state-approved consensus… Through fear, “hate speech” laws undermine public discourse and drive diverse views from the public square.”
Rasanen has announced plans to appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights.
Canada's Parliament is considering Bill C-9, which would amend provisions in the criminal code relating to hate speech. Critics argue the legislation could weaken existing protections for statements made on religious grounds, while supporters say stronger measures are needed to tackle harmful speech directed at identifiable groups.
