The leader of Canada's Conservative Party has raised concerns about anti-Christian violence following the destruction of a historic wooden church in New Brunswick by alleged arson. The Saint-Simon church in the Acadian Peninsula, which had stood for over a century, was engulfed in flames last week.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to the fire shortly after 4 a.m. but found the building largely consumed. The church was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported. However, the building is considered a complete loss. Authorities have arrested and charged 68-year-old Gilles Mallet with arson in connection with the blaze. A motive has not been released by the RCMP.
The Saint-Simon church was reportedly the largest wooden church in New Brunswick and a significant landmark for the local Catholic community.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party and the Official Opposition, stated to Juno News that "One hundred churches have been burned." He further asserted that "Christians may be the number one group that are victims of hate-based violence," adding that such claims are "not politically correct to say." Poilievre emphasized that all Canadians, regardless of religion, "deserve to worship in peace."
He has previously accused members of the Liberal Party, which holds a majority in the House of Commons, of downplaying anti-Christian violence. This sentiment follows a 2025 report from the conservative media organization True North, which cataloged 123 instances of church arsons or vandalism since 2021. Liberal MP John-Paul Danko reportedly criticized Conservative counterparts who cited this figure, accusing them of "repeating conspiracy theories" and suggesting the government should focus on "real hate crimes" such as instances affecting Jewish communities. Conservative MP Andrew Lawton responded on X, affirming his commitment to opposing "real hate and defend free speech."
According to official Canadian government data, 463 arsons occurred at religious institutions between 2016 and 2023. This figure does not specifically isolate arsons at churches.
In 2024, Conservative MPs introduced a bill proposing mandatory minimum sentences of five years for first-time offenders convicted of burning places of worship, and seven years for repeat offenders. The progress of this bill was halted in January 2025 following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation and the subsequent suspension of Canadian Parliament for the Liberal Party to select a new leader. The bill has not been reintroduced, and there are no current indications of renewed plans for its progression.
