Coalition Calls For Correcting Legislation Language On Swastika

India-West Staff Reporter

OTTAWA – More than 70 faith-based organizations across Canada are urging federal lawmakers to correct what they call a serious error in proposed anti-hate legislation that confuses the ancient “Swastika” with the Nazi “Hakenkreuz.”

The coalition—comprising Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and interfaith groups—has written to Parliament seeking amendments to Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act introduced by MP Sean Fraser on September 19, and Petition e-6625, tabled by MP Melissa Lantsman. While both initiatives are intended to curb hate symbols, signatories warn that the language used could inadvertently criminalize sacred symbols of faith for millions of Canadians.

The concern centers on how the Nazi emblem is described. Bill C-9 refers to it as “the Nazi Hakenkreuz, also known as the Nazi Swastika,” while Petition e-6625 calls to “finally ban the Swastika.” Critics say this conflation wrongly equates the Swastika—an ancient and auspicious symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism—with the Nazi emblem of hate.

“Words matter,” said Rishabh Saraswat, president of CoHNA Canada, one of the coalition’s leading organizations. “We’re simply asking for accuracy so that Canada can combat hate effectively while respecting faith traditions.”

The coalition’s letter warns that the current wording could create a “legal minefield.” Under Bill C-9, symbols “so nearly resembling” a banned emblem could fall under prosecution. Faith leaders fear that Swastikas displayed in temples, homes, or during festivals could be mistaken for hate symbols and investigated as potential hate crimes.

In contrast, other jurisdictions have taken steps to clarify the distinction. Earlier this year, Virginia passed a law differentiating the Nazi Hakenkreuz from the sacred Swastika. Montreal police have also revised their hate crime manual, replacing “drawing a Swastika” with “graffitiing Nazi symbols” to avoid confusion.

“Our request is straightforward: remove all references to the ‘Swastika’ and correctly identify the banned symbol as the ‘Nazi Hakenkreuz,’” the letter urges. The coalition points out that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis never used the word “Swastika,” instead calling their emblem the “Hakenkreuz,” or “hooked cross.” Contemporary Western media of the time used the same term.

Mark Sandler, chair of the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism, shared the coalition’s concerns, noting that banning the Swastika without acknowledging its religious significance would “almost certainly be unconstitutional,” violating Section 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects freedom of religion and conscience.

The letter also highlights the harm caused by this confusion. Hindus in Canada have been questioned by police or reported to employers for displaying Swastikas in private spaces. Abroad, similar incidents include a Hindu woman named Swastika being barred from using Uber in Australia and a caretaker in the UK losing his job over a Swastika tattoo.

For years, Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist groups have urged governments and media to stop using the phrase “Nazi Swastika.” Several police departments in Canada and the U.S. have already adopted this correction. The coalition says Canada now has the chance to do the same—championing both the fight against hate and the protection of religious freedom.