CLC Blog

With the introduction of the “Online Harms Act” (Bill C-63) on February 26th, the Trudeau Liberals, with the support of the NDP, have unveiled the next step in their devious plan to create a powerful online censorship regime. This ideologically-driven regime undoubtedly targets people like you and me – people who hold to traditional values on human life, marriage, gender, faith, and family.

When combined with other laws the Trudeau government has passed during its eight-year tenure (C-11, C-18, C-4), and in light of other proposals in the works (like C-367), Bill C-63 spells the end of any meaningful pro-life, pro-family, and pro-freedom discourse on the Canadian internet.

Those who fall afoul of the new law by posting what may be misconstrued as homophobic, transphobic, or misogynist “hate speech” could face fines of tens of thousands of dollars or five years in prison. Section 13 of the bill even proposes life in prison for the worst offenders!

Can you imagine a person being jailed just because of “wrong-speak”? I thought only communist countries had prisoners of conscience.

In addition, under Section 810.012 of Bill C-63, those who are deemed “potential hate criminals” may be consigned to house arrest or forced to wear an electronic monitoring device before they ever committed a crime!

Above: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Justice Minister Arif Virani. Source: CAP.

According to the Globe and Mail, “Justice Minister Arif Virani has defended a new power in the Online Harms Bill to impose house arrest on someone who is feared to commit a hate crime in the future – even if they have not yet done so already.” In other words, you will be guilty if you are believed to think the wrong thoughts.

It may soon be verboten to think that men shouldn’t compete in women’s sports or that children shouldn't be exposed to drag queens. That might be labelled transphobic! And thinking that abortion is the worst possible choice for a woman may soon be deemed misogynist hate. The chilling effect of this bill on our Constitutional freedom of expression will be far-reaching!

This Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) will certainly do more harm than good if it passes into law! Mr. Trudeau will have succeeded in transforming our beloved country into a new type of woke totalitarian state, where liberal dogma is sacrosanct and free speech is dead.

To give teeth to Bill C-63, the Trudeau government will establish three new national bureaucracies: a Digital Safety Commission, a Digital Safety Ombudsman, and a Digital Safety Office – all of which will require millions of dollars of new spending, with taxpayers footing the bill! The government will also give the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal new powers to investigate any and all complaints of “online hate speech”.

I have no doubt that our very own Campaign Life Coalition web site, which presents research and discussion on almost every hot button issue from a pro-life, pro-family perspective, will come under fire. Under Bill C-63, anyone who takes offence with any online content can bring a “hate speech” complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal. If found guilty, fines run up to $70,000.

As the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms warns, “No actual victims are required for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to find guilt or to impose penalties. Nor does a victim need to prove that he or she suffered loss or damage; feeling offended by alleged ‘hate’ is all that is needed.”  

While Liberals have pitched this bill as being about protecting children from abuse online and stopping the spread of extreme terrorism and genocide, the devil is in the details. As one commentator notes: “What Trudeau and company are pushing is a crime omnibus bill, purporting to be about children and protecting people from things like revenge porn. Buried within are the parts we need to be worried about.”

We need to be very concerned about the Trudeau government’s Online Harms Act (Bill C-63). We can’t allow the Liberal-NDP alliance to take over our Canadian internet. We can’t allow them to impose an online police state, fining and jailing their ideological opponents for daring to speak the truth in love. This is totalitarian thinking – the stuff of communist dictators and banana republics!

Join me in reaching out to your MPs to urge them to reject this dangerous Online Harms Act today. Let them know what you think while you still can – by sending an Action Alert Email. Click here to act now.