The Liberals are trying to “make Canada’s Internet one of the most censored and surveilled in the democratic world,” an advocacy group said Wednesday..Blacklock’s Reporter said Open Media of Vancouver launched a petition drive to counter any reintroduction of two cabinet bills that lapsed in the last Parliament..“Liberals are poised to push forward with their harmful Internet censorship plans,” Matthew Hatfield, campaign director for Open Media, wrote in a message to donors..“Our newly-elected government is cynically taking advantage of our political fatigue and frustration with the Internet to try to trick the public.”.Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault’s Bill C-10 An Act To Amend The Broadcasting Act lapsed in the Senate communications committee. The bill wanted to have YouTube videos intended for private viewing regulated as public broadcasts by the CRTC..“I am swamped with e-mails from people from all walks of life, especially young people, who don’t want this,” Senator Michael MacDonald (N.S.), chair of the committee, said in an earlier interview..“This bill is disturbing and it is taking us down a rabbit hole on Internet regulation.”.Cabinet in a July 29 Technical Paper proposed to appoint a chief Internet censor called the Digital Safety Commissioner with powers to block websites, investigate anonymous complaints and conduct closed-door hearings into legal but hurtful comments deemed a threat to “democratic institutions.”.Cabinet on June 23 also introduced Bill C-36 An Act To Amend The Criminal Code that would threaten $70,000 fines or house arrest for any Internet publisher, blogger or social media user suspected of posting legal content promoting “detestation or vilification.”.The RCMP on July 19 said the bill would “see more things through to charges” involving Facebook users and bloggers..Bill C-36 lapsed with the adjournment of the last Parliament. Cabinet said it will be reintroduced this fall.
