The federal government is again signalling plans to tighten its grip on online content, with Heritage Minister Marc Miller saying Ottawa has clear authority to regulate the internet and must catch up to foreign jurisdictions already policing digital platforms.Speaking to reporters, Miller said Canada is “a couple of years behind” countries like Australia, Britain and France when it comes to monitoring legal content online and addressing what he described as harmful material circulating on social media.“We’re working on it,” he said, declining to provide a timeline for introducing new legislation. “When it comes to things distributed over the internet, it’s clear that is a role played by the federal government.”Blacklock's Reporter said Miller added Ottawa sees regulating social media — including potential moratoriums or stricter oversight of what it deems harmful content — as firmly within its jurisdiction. “We need to take action,” he said, without offering specifics.The comments come after two previous attempts at online regulation died on the order paper during minority parliaments.Bill C-36, introduced in 2021, proposed amendments to the Criminal Code that critics warned would effectively create a federal censorship regime, including powers to block websites. A later proposal, Bill C-63, tabled in 2024, would have established a “digital safety ombudsman” with authority to monitor online content, though with narrower powers. Neither bill passed.The government is now laying groundwork for a fresh attempt.Earlier this year, Miller reassembled an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, reviving an 11-member panel that had been dissolved ahead of the last election. Soon after, the Department of Industry indicated to a Senate committee that new legislation is in development.In a written submission, the department said Ottawa is exploring a regulatory framework aimed at reducing harm on major platforms, likely relying on expert regulators to set standards, ensure compliance and enforce rules where necessary..The department added the advisory group has been tasked with examining emerging issues tied to online harms and helping shape future policy, with any eventual bill to undergo parliamentary review.Previous government arguments for regulation have centred on combating criminal activity such as child exploitation and hate speech. However, concerns within Ottawa have increasingly expanded to include legal content and its broader societal effects.At a 2025 conference in Ottawa, Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia warned that online discourse — even when lawful — is contributing to declining trust in democratic institutions.“More of our citizens, especially young voters, appear to be losing faith in democratic institutions and gravitating towards extreme ideological positions,” he said, adding social media platforms are amplifying polarizing content aimed at “sowing discord.”
