The Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta (WIPA) condemned the Online Harms Act (OHA) as tyrannical legislation that needs to be stopped. This is because the OHA would allow the Canadian judiciary to decide if online content violated reasonable limits of speech. “Our existing laws address online harmful contents,” said WIPA in a Sunday press release. “We believe this Bill purely addresses criticism of the Federal Government on social media which impinges on our Freedom of Expression and Speech.”If the Canadian government moves ahead with the OHA, WIPA said the Canadian government “will limit citizens' freedom through a series of drastic steps from wearing ankle bracelets, curfews, surrendering firearms, freezing your funds and in cases that they consider important such as advocating genocide, life in prison.” “What separates us from Dictatorial Governments is our free will to speak,” it said. The Canadian government upped the ante on fighting online hate by introducing the OHA in the House of Commons on February 26. READ MORE: UPDATED: Liberals introduce ‘online harms’ legislationIt presented a broadened, controversial definition of hate speech and proposed amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada for violations. Users will be able to file complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.It would see the establishment of a five-member digital safety commission to order the removal of online content sexualizing children or sexual violence victims and sexual content posted without consent.
