fbpx
Sunday, October 5, 2025

Ottawa’s proposed online harms regulator raises free speech concerns

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The federal government may appoint a new ombudsman to handle public concerns regarding the Liberals’ forthcoming online harms legislation as well as a new regulator to monitor people’s conduct on the internet, despite pushback from critics.

Justice Minister Arif Virani assured Canadians that the new bill will be the right balance between protecting Canadians from online harm without restricting their right to freedom of expression, however many critics remain unconvinced. 

Civil liberties groups had already taken issue with the initial 2021 proposal Bill C-36, which included a provision that online platforms had no more than 24 hours to remove content deemed to be harmful. 

While speaking with True North’s Andrew Lawton, counsel for the Canadian Constitution Foundation Josh Dehaas said “anything that resembles Bill C-36” will lead to all kinds of legal challenges. 

“It would not be constitutional to do something that extreme, to have $20,000 fines for things that you say on the internet that somebody finds offensive,” said Dehaas on the Andrew Lawton Show. “We really hope that that’s not what they come up with.”

“If they go with 24 hour takedowns, that is just going to lead Facebook and other internet service providers to take down anything that could put them at risk or make them liable, so that would be a huge free speech issue too that we would have to try and attack.”

Online platforms would naturally take a risk averse approach when it comes to any form of contentious content, likely preemptively removing content before it gets flagged for being “harmful.”   

“The other concern I have is that companies like Facebook might just leave Canada,” said Dehaas. “Right now you have similar legislation in the European Union and they’re telling Twitter all the time, ‘If you don’t comply with our requirements and get rid of what we consider misinformation then we might kick Twitter out of Europe.’ Canada is a lot smaller and Twitter probably cares a lot less about us.”

“If Twitter is faced with some sort of legislation that says they have a duty of care to take down information that is so-called misinformation or discriminatory, then they might just pull out at some point,“ he added.

Dehaas warned that if the legislation allows for too much subjectivity, then Canadians will be at the mercy of the ombudsman’s taste and views regarding what is appropriate internet content versus what should be censored. 

“These are government appointees, and what they are offended by might be perfectly legitimate speech,” said Dehaas. 

Religious organizations, like the National Council of Canadian Muslims have also expressed worries that Muslims could be disproportionately affected by the new legislation as targets of terrorist-related online content.

The Trudeau government pledged to have the new legislation introduced by April.

“It’s very nearly ready to go,” a senior Liberal official told CTV News on the condition of anonymity.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first promised to implement internet regulation legislation during the 2019 election. A bill targeting online hate speech was later presented but died on the order paper after Trudeau called an early election in 2021.

The proposed regulator would be charged with ensuring that online platforms comply with federal law and the new ombudsman would deal with citizens’ complaints regarding contentious online material. 

Virani told the Canadian Bar Association that he was confident that the new measures would promote the kind of internet landscape where “users can express themselves without feeling threatened or fuelling hate.”

“It also means requiring online services to address and mitigate the risk of such harmful content on their platforms, as well as to give users tools and resources to report harmful content and seek help,” said Virani during a recent speech.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the notion of appointing a new regulator, citing concerns over how the government would select someone for the role.

He also accused the Trudeau government of attempting to censor Canadians through regulating big tech companies in the past. 

Last year, Canada’s Privy Council conducted a survey to see how Canadians viewed the government’s role in censoring online “misinformation” and found that the majority of respondents disapproved of it.  

“Though all participants reported feeling some degree of concern, some also expressed reservations about the potential for censorship in any attempt by the federal government to prevent the proliferation of false information online,” reads the report. 

The Alberta Roundup | Suit seeks Covid compensation for businesses

By
Rachel Parker
-

Today on the Alberta Roundup with Rachel Emmanuel, Rachel interviews prominent Alberta lawyer Jeffrey Rath on his efforts to begin a class action lawsuit on behalf of businesses impacted by forced Covid-19 closures.

His move follows the recent Ingram decision, where the Calgary Court of King’s Bench declared several of Alberta’s public health orders to have been unlawfully enacted, setting a precedent for potential financial redress for impacted businesses.

But before the class action can move forward, a judge must determine that it is the appropriate legal avenue for the case and confirm that the plaintiffs are genuinely representative of a broader group.

Tune into the Alberta Roundup live at 4 p.m. MT. 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALBERTA ROUNDUP

City of Toronto to place injection site beside a senior’s home, close to several schools

By
Noah Jarvis
-

Members of Toronto’s Willowdale neighbourhood have been voicing their concerns after the city approved a drug injection site in the heart of their community.

Community members are contesting a municipal housing initiative at 175 Cummer Ave that would see a drug injection facility for Toronto’s homeless population installed right next to a senior’s home and near several schools. 

This development is part of Toronto’s Modular Housing Initiative – approved by City Council as part of the city’s broader HousingTO 2020-2030 plan.

The initiative is meant to provide “deeply affordable” housing to Toronto’s homeless residents, providing them with services that the city claims will prevent its tenants from ending up back on the streets. The initiative has already built four of these modular buildings across the city.

The 3-storey, 64 unit apartment will provide its tenants with a drug injection site, “personal recovery” from substance use and mental health challenges, help with storage of medication, and eviction prevention, among other services.

“The facility is expected to have special services for its tenants, including assistance with substance use, fetal alcohol supports, withdrawal services, and harm reduction (e.g. safe injection / inhalation, needle supplies, naloxone distribution),” says the Bayview Cummer Neighbourhood Association.

Willowdale’s residents have expressed concern with the housing initiative and the adverse effects the apartment’s residents would have on the neighbouring senior’s home, community safety, and property values. 

In an information document assembled by the city, it is acknowledged that Willowdale’s residents have concerns regarding drug-related crimes, used needles being left on the property’s grounds, and the overall safety of school children and seniors. 

However, the city claims that they do not anticipate any increase in public safety issues, citing the experience that the property managers have in addressing community concerns.

This response did not satisfy many in the community, including the Bayview Cummer Neighbourhood Association who are challenging the development with the Ontario Land Tribunal.

In an early January decision, the tribunal ruled against Willowdale’s residents, arguing that the development is capable of co-existing in harmony with the surrounding community and the neighbouring senior’s home. 

While the City of Toronto claims that they do not anticipate an increase in public safety issues surrounding the apartment complex, True North has found that crime has increased in areas that have already completed their modular housing sites.

The 11 Macey Ave site was opened on December 19, 2020. According to the Toronto Police Service’s major crime indicators data, crime within a one-kilometre radius of the building has risen 15.4% from 2020-2023. 

Within a one-kilometre radius from the 321 Dovercourt Rd site opened on January 28, 2021, crime increased by 16.2% from 2020-2023. 

Similarly, at the 540 Cedarvale Ave site opened sometime in 2022, the community has seen a 20.7% increase in crime from 2021-2023.

Meanwhile, the 39 Dundalk Dr site opened sometime in 2023, has seen a 20.6% increase in crime from 2022-2023.

Jeff Yang, a long-time member of the Willowdale community and a nominee for the Conservative Party of Canada’s Willowdale nomination race told True North that so-called harm reduction is a failed policy and that the city ought to stop shelling out millions of dollars on drug injection sites.

“Harm reduction is a failed policy to address the drug issue that our cities are facing,” said Yang.

“Deaths from drugs in Ontario have doubled since 2016. These are not just numbers, but victims of a failed and reckless experiment. The city needs to stop pushing these harm reduction aka drug injection sites and the federal government also needs to stop spending over $21M per year in funding these drug injection sites.”

Yang urged the Ontario government to push for a treatment and rehabilitation model of drug recovery and warned that the opening of the 175 Cummer Ave site can lead to a senior getting hurt.

“The Ontario government will need to further push treatment and rehabilitation without the failed harm reduction. Disagree with me all you want, but the rising number of victims don’t lie. Many people, including the seniors, also have an issue with this because it’s being built next to a long term care facility and a large senior housing area. The last thing I want to see is someone drugged up and under the influence hurting a senior.”

BC instructs people to stop saying “British Columbians” because it’s offensive

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

The British Columbia government says the province’s own name isn’t inclusive enough to use.

A writing guide for Indigenous content published by the province’s NDP government urges people to refrain from referring to themselves as “British Columbians.” 

“The term ‘British Columbians’ is often used to reference people living in B.C. This term excludes Indigenous Peoples who may not identify with it. For many, they identify as members of their own sovereign nations and do not consider themselves part of one that has actively worked to assimilate their people,” the guide reads. 

The guide, updated Jan. 26 26, 2024, aims to promote more inclusive language and avoid “outdated” and offensive terms. 

It provides recommendations for authors and communicators regarding terms to use when talking about Indigenous issues.

Notably, it advises against the use of the term ‘British Columbians,’ citing its so-called exclusionary nature towards Indigenous peoples who may not identify with the label. 

Instead, it suggests employing the phrase ‘people living in B.C.’ to be more inclusive of diverse populations, including immigrants. 

“’British Columbians’ also excludes other groups such as newcomers and refugees. We recommend instead saying ‘people living in B.C.’”

Furthermore, the guide includes a section on “Outdated terms to avoid,” discouraging the use of terms such as ‘native,’ ‘traditional,’ ‘tribe,’ ‘band,’ and ‘aboriginal groups.”

“Traditional (i.e. traditional knowledge, traditional territories, makes it seem like it is only applicable to the past and not the present.) When referring to ceremonies, please check with the local Nation’s website for assistance on whether to include ‘traditional’,” explains the guide. 

It also encourages the adoption of language that reflects woke principles and provides alternative word choices.

“Some words have historical connotations which may cause unease or mistrust. Awareness of this historical lens is important when working with Indigenous Peoples,” the guide claims. 

Among the examples it cites is the word “artifact.”

“When used out of context it has negative connotations to many Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous communities struggle to reclaim cultural and ceremonial regalia, artwork and tools which were stolen and are displayed publicly or privately,” the guide reads.

This move follows previous efforts by the BC government to control speech such as the removal of 750 “outdated gender-based” terms from provincial regulations in 2022.

These changes, part of the Better Regulations for British Columbians initiative, eliminated terms like “he,” “she,” “himself,” “herself,” “father,” “son,” and “aunt” from the official vocabulary.

At the time parliamentary secretary for gender equity, Grace Lore, defended the changes, stating that using inclusive language removes barriers to services and protects people’s rights. 

However, critics argue that such measures represent government overreach and prioritize political correctness over practicality.

Quebec seeks $1 billion from feds for asylum seekers

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The Quebec government is demanding the federal government reimburse the province for money it has spent on providing social services to asylum seekers since 2021.

The Quebec government is asking Ottawa for $1 billion. 

Quebec’s Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette called the situation “completely unreasonable.”

“Our capacity to provide services to asylum seekers has limits,” said Fréchette during the press conference.

The provincial government said it spent $576.9 million last year on social services to support migrants and a combined $470 million between 2021 and 2022.

The province has been receiving the lion’s share of asylum seekers over the past several years, taking in 55% of the total migrants living in Canada. 

Quebec officials are also asking the Trudeau government to distribute migrants more equitably throughout the country, as the province currently hosts 160,651 of the 289,047 in the country. 

In contrast, Fréchette said only 380 asylum seekers were taken in by Atlantic Canada last year, whereas 65,570 were received in Quebec.  

The provincial government is also requesting that Ottawa clamp down on the influx of asylum seekers and tighten Canada’s current visa policies. 

One of the most popular illegal border crossings for people planning to claim asylum in Canada is Roxham Rd., which connects New York to Quebec. There has also been an influx in people landing at Montreal airport and claiming asylum upon arrival.

Additionally, it would like to see the federal government close any loopholes which allow for criminals to exploit the immigration system and reimburse the province for their expenses from 2021 to 2023. 

Social Solidarity Minister Jean-François Roberge said Ottawa’s “passive attitude” towards asylum seekers entering Quebec “must absolutely end.”

Ottawa has not yet agreed with Quebec’s demands, however the federal government did transfer the province $100 million several weeks ago to help fund a housing program for migrants. 

However, Fréchette called the transfer “clearly insufficient.”

The Quebec government said that even if it was reimbursed for the money spent, the problem would still persist because the province’s social services are reaching a “breaking point” in sectors like healthcare and education. 

“We are approaching a point where we will not be able to serve people who are already on the Quebec territory,” said Education Minister Bernard Drainville. “What Quebec has done to educate these asylum-seeking children in recent years is exceptional, but now, it can’t continue like this.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to Quebec demand by saying his government recognized and appreciated how generous the province had been in accepting migrants.

“The federal government was there with hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we will continue to work hand in hand with Quebec to ensure that we can move forward in the right way,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Vancouver, according to CBC News. 

“The important thing, obviously, is to reassure everyone from one end of this country to the other that we have a functional, rigorous immigration system where the rules are being followed.” 

The Andrew Lawton Show |  Justin Trudeau’s “hate speech” ban is coming

By
Andrew Lawton
-
Source: Facebook

The Liberals’ long-promised ban on “online harms” is expected in the coming weeks. Among other things, the bill will take aim at so-called “hate speech,” which past attempts at legislating suggest the Liberals will define at a lower threshold than what exists in criminal law at present. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said this morning that Justin Trudeau is a “woke authoritarian” cannot be trusted with online speech.

Also, a Prince Edward Island municipal councillor is facing removal from office over a sign he posted outside his home that said “Truth: Mass grave hoax. Reconciliation: Redeem Sir John A’s integrity.” Josh DeHaas of the Canadian Constitution Foundation joins to discuss the case of John Robertson.

Plus, the only area of healthcare where access seems to be expanding is assisted suicide, or MAID. Dr. Ramona Coelho joins to discuss.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

Poilievre says Conservative government would mandate age verification to watch porn

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-

A Conservative government would require online porn sites to verify the ages of users to safeguard minors.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made the commitment at a press conference Wednesday, as a Senate bill proposing such a measure works its way through Parliament.

Bill S-210 passed the Senate in the spring and is awaiting study by a House committee. No meeting has been scheduled yet.

“Do you believe Parliament should make it law that pornography websites have to verify the ages of users so minors can’t access their material? And would a future government of yours do this?” asked a reporter.

“Yes,” replied Poilievre.

The bill was previously stalled in Parliament over privacy concerns, although 15 Liberals broke ranks with the government and voted in favour of the bill alongside the Conservatives, Bloc, and NDP in December.

Bill S-210 mandates that commercial websites offering pornographic content implement age verification mechanisms to ensure that users are at least 18 years old before granting access to their materials.

Critics warn that if the age verification method requires personal information, such as photo identification, it could compromise user safety.

In a follow-up statement, the Conservatives said they “do not support any measures that would allow the imposition of a digital ID or infringe on the privacy of adults and their freedom to access legal content online.”

Liberal-appointed Sen. Julie Miville-Dechêne, who introduced Bill S-210, claimed that Canada’s response to this issue is delayed compared to other countries, adding that she is confused about the Liberals’ stance against the bill. She said that most objections to the bill are based on fear-mongering and fallacies, emphasizing that privacy and data security issues can be addressed in regulations.

“The Canadian government is going against the tide of countries and jurisdictions that are legislating to protect children from exposure to online pornography, including the European Union, the U.K., France, Germany, Spain,” Miville-Dechêne told the Canadian Press.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he plans to introduce measures to bar children from accessing pornography. 

Officials in Germany said they are preparing to call on their country’s internet providers to block Pornhub and similar websites.

Michael Geist, University of Ottawa’s Canada Research Chair in internet law, called Bill S-210 a threat to privacy and freedom of expression and one that would mandate the blocking of websites.

Age verification processes frequently involve facial scanning or uploading government-issued identity documents to services based in foreign countries, not Canada, added Geist.

However, Bill S-210 requires that the age-verification method maintains user privacy and protects user personal information. It states that any personal information collected and used would be solely for age-verification purposes and that it would be destroyed once the verification process is complete.

The Daily Brief | Let them eat lobster!

By
Lindsay Shepherd
-

Another federal minister is under fire for showing off a lobster feast while Canadians struggle to make ends meet.

Plus, a Liberal MP claims doctor-assisted suicide has nothing to do with suicide.

And a man has been arrested and charged after the attempted arson of a Regina Catholic church.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

Poilievre says “female spaces should be exclusively for females”

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says female spaces should be exclusively for females.

Poilievre made the comments at a Kitchener, Ont. press conference Wednesday morning in response to a question from Rebel News journalist David Menzies.

“Will you make female safe spaces safe again by introducing legislation that bans so-called transgender women from participating in female sports and getting access into female shelters and female prisons?” Menzies asked.

Poilievre responded by saying that “female spaces should be exclusively for females, not for biological males.”

However, in terms of legislation, the conservative leader said that the majority of the spaces mentioned in the question were controlled at the provincial and municipal levels. 

“So it is unclear what reach federal legislation would have to to change them,” answered Poilievre. “But obviously, female sports, female change rooms, female bathrooms, should be for females. Not biological males.” 

Poilievre’s remarks come on the heels of the Alberta government’s commitment to a suite of policies related to sex and gender, including protecting womens-only sports and ensuring parental consent is required before a student under 16 can change their name or gender at school.

Poilievre has expressed support for Premier Danielle Smith’s policies, telling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “butt out” of both provincial jurisdiction and parental autonomy.

Conservative Party of Canada members voted in favour of a policy at their convention last fall advocating for protection of single-sex spaces and sports.

Saskatchewan, Manitoba inflation falls quicker than predicted after carbon tax cuts

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-

While Canada’s inflation rate dropped from 3.4% in December to 2.9% in January, Saskatchewan had an even more notable drop, revealed data from Statistics Canada. 

Saskatchewan had a CPI of 2.7% in December 2023. This decreased to 1.9% in January 2024. 

“In Saskatchewan, the collection of the carbon tax levy ceased in January 2024, contributing to the province’s year-over-year price decline of natural gas (-26.6%),” said Statistics Canada in its monthly report.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe commented on the decrease in his province.

“The Trudeau carbon tax was over a quarter of the cost of natural gas in SK. If the feds are actually serious about fighting inflation, they would scrap the carbon tax on everyone and everything,” said Moe.

Tiff Macklem, the Governor of the Bank of Canada, initially claimed in September that removing the carbon tax would cause a 0.15-point alleviation on inflation.

Following the claim, Dalhousie University requested an explanation.

The bank’s response revealed that the 0.15 ratio considered three components of the CPI—natural gas, heating oil, and gasoline—all of which are retail-taxed items.

By the end of October, Macklem updated the number. He said that the carbon tax would actually create a one-time drop of 0.6 percentage points, which he confirmed would have brought the inflation from 3.8% to 3.2% at the time of the statement.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, also known by his online X profile, The Food Professor, said that Saskatchewan ceasing collection of the carbon tax contradicts the Bank of Canada’s earlier claims that removing the carbon tax would lead to a one-time drop of 0.6 percentage points in the inflation rate.

Charlebois criticized the governor for making such a claim without data, models, or comprehensive analysis. 

“This estimate failed to account for second-round or pass-through effects across the entire supply chain of other major CPI components, indicating a narrow focus in their calculations,” said Charlebois.

Manitoba saw a similar decline following pausing its fuel tax. Manitoba’s CPI was 1.7% in December 2023, and decelerated to 0.8% in January 2024, a decrease of 0.9 points.

“Lower gas prices in Manitoba (-14.1%) contributed to the national decline, following a temporary suspension of its provincial fuel tax,” said Statistics Canada.

Following Statistics Canada releasing its monthly report, Saskatchewan renewed its call for the federal government to scrap the carbon tax.

Crown Investments Minister Dustin Duncan said this provides a clear example of what the federal government needs to do if it really wants to drive down the cost of living for Canadian families. 

“If they are actually serious about fighting inflation, the federal government needs to remove the carbon tax on everyone and everything,” said Duncan. “This shows how much impact it has, just removing it on home heating in one province. Imagine the significant impact it would have on gas prices, grocery prices, and everything else we produce and transport in Canada if the federal government scrapped the carbon tax.”

Instead, the federal government is fully committed to another carbon tax increase on April 1, said Duncan. 

“It shows they really don’t care about the impact it is having on Canadian families struggling with the cost of living.”

1...321322323...1,460Page 322 of 1,460

Related stories

© 2025 True North | Privacy Policy