A Calgary-based civil liberties group is sounding the alarm over what it says is a renewed federal push to resurrect sweeping online censorship powers, launching a national campaign urging Ottawa to abandon plans to revive the controversial Online Harms Act.The says it has created an online tool allowing Canadians to send a pre-written letter directly to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, calling on the government not to reintroduce Bill C-63 or any similar legislation.Public reports suggest the Liberal government intends to bring back the failed bill, arguing it is necessary to protect children and combat criminal activity online. The Justice Centre counters that Canada’s Criminal Code already contains extensive provisions dealing with serious online crimes, including child sexual exploitation, criminal harassment, terrorism and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.According to the group, Bill C-63 goes far beyond criminal conduct and would dramatically expand government censorship powers while undermining freedom of expression, due process and the rule of law..The proposed legislation would allow lawful speech to be investigated, penalized or removed based on vague and subjective criteria, the Justice Centre says. Individuals could face severe consequences not for committing crimes, but for expressing opinions later deemed unacceptable by regulators.Under the bill, a new Digital Safety Commission would be created with broad authority to order online platforms to remove lawful content and to levy heavy penalties against companies that fail to comply with government demands.The legislation would also expand the role of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, empowering it to police non-criminal expression. The Justice Centre warns the bill would permit anonymous complaints, deny respondents the right to confront their accusers, and allow penalties without proof of actual harm or identifiable victims..In addition, the bill would give federal regulators and cabinet ministers greater control over online expression through regulatory processes that bypass meaningful parliamentary debate and public scrutiny.The Justice Centre is urging Canadians to learn more about the campaign and to take action in what it calls a defence of freedom of expression in Canada.
