Canada wants to criminalise ‘hate speech’. Christians are right to be worried

Lengthy prison sentences could be handed out to people who express contentious opinions. That’s what many in Canada fear, as the Online Harms Bill looks set to become law, reports Michael Coren

Canada’s international reputation is certainly not what it was.

While still respected as a fair and functioning social democracy, the country’s appallingly permissive assisted dying programme has become a warning to the world, its treatment of protestors during the pandemic shutdown has been questioned by civil libertarians, and now proposed legislation to monitor aspects of social media has angered even some on the Canadian left.

The so-called Online Harms Bill, or Bill C-63, was introduced in late-February and looks very likely to become law. It proposes to police seven elements of what it considers harmful internet material and some of those elements – such as bullying or sexualizing of children, incitement to violence or terrorism – are non-controversial and even self-evident. But “hate speech” is included, and this is where perception and interpretation come into play.