Cabinet has shelved a long-threatened bill to regulate truth and disinformation on the internet, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “The government heard from Canadians and stakeholders that while false and misleading information online can carry significant consequences, creating legislation and policies that restrict or otherwise limit speech based on the veracity of information would undermine freedom of expression to an unacceptable degree,” said Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc in a letter to the House of Commons Ethics Committee (CEC). The letter was prompted by the CEC recommending cabinet “hold online platforms accountable for publishing false or misleading information.” LeBlanc said a bill was unnecessary. “Legislation is not the only tool in the government’s toolbox to combat false or misleading information,” said LeBlanc. While certain people wanted a bill, he said internet literacy programs appeared sufficient. Cabinet tabled a technical paper in 2021 proposing it appoint a chief internet censor called the digital safety commissioner to police content moderation on the internet under threat of $25 million fines. Former heritage minister Steven Guilbeault said at a House of Commons Heritage Committee meeting in 2021 illegal content should include posts disparaging government institutions. Guilbeault said every Canadian has “a responsibility, a duty to ensure that we protect our institutions and that the last thing we should try to do is to somehow diminish them just in the hope we can score points.” “I think there are other ways we can score political points,” he said. “Of course, we’re political adversaries, I understand that, but certainly not at the expense of our institutions.”No digital safety bill was ever introduced. A majority of 9,218 petitioners to Canadian Heritage opposed the measure as unconstitutional. “Many cautioned against opening categories of harmful content to speech that, although harmful, would nevertheless be lawful,” said Canadian Heritage. Canadian Heritage requested a larger budget to increase its capacity for monitoring and addressing internet disinformation in October. READ MORE: Trudeau gov’t fears political ‘disinformation’ onlineIt said it needed millions of dollars to watch people online who share wrong political beliefs. At the moment, it said the scale and scope of disinformation was “expanding along with potential for associated harms.”.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Cabinet has shelved a long-threatened bill to regulate truth and disinformation on the internet, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “The government heard from Canadians and stakeholders that while false and misleading information online can carry significant consequences, creating legislation and policies that restrict or otherwise limit speech based on the veracity of information would undermine freedom of expression to an unacceptable degree,” said Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc in a letter to the House of Commons Ethics Committee (CEC). The letter was prompted by the CEC recommending cabinet “hold online platforms accountable for publishing false or misleading information.” LeBlanc said a bill was unnecessary. “Legislation is not the only tool in the government’s toolbox to combat false or misleading information,” said LeBlanc. While certain people wanted a bill, he said internet literacy programs appeared sufficient. Cabinet tabled a technical paper in 2021 proposing it appoint a chief internet censor called the digital safety commissioner to police content moderation on the internet under threat of $25 million fines. Former heritage minister Steven Guilbeault said at a House of Commons Heritage Committee meeting in 2021 illegal content should include posts disparaging government institutions. Guilbeault said every Canadian has “a responsibility, a duty to ensure that we protect our institutions and that the last thing we should try to do is to somehow diminish them just in the hope we can score points.” “I think there are other ways we can score political points,” he said. “Of course, we’re political adversaries, I understand that, but certainly not at the expense of our institutions.”No digital safety bill was ever introduced. A majority of 9,218 petitioners to Canadian Heritage opposed the measure as unconstitutional. “Many cautioned against opening categories of harmful content to speech that, although harmful, would nevertheless be lawful,” said Canadian Heritage. Canadian Heritage requested a larger budget to increase its capacity for monitoring and addressing internet disinformation in October. READ MORE: Trudeau gov’t fears political ‘disinformation’ onlineIt said it needed millions of dollars to watch people online who share wrong political beliefs. At the moment, it said the scale and scope of disinformation was “expanding along with potential for associated harms.”.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
