Canada to Make Online Hate Speech a Crime Punishable by $16,000 Fine

[mountaineer]

Canada to Make Online Hate Speech a Crime Punishable by $16,000 Fine
The proposed law would likely run afoul of the First Amendment in the U.S., but despite popular misconceptions Canada is actually its own country.
Matt Novak
Thursday 7:00AM

Canada’s ruling Liberal government announced on Wednesday that it plans to make online hate speech a crime punishable by as much as $20,000 (roughly $16,250 US) for the first offense and $50,000 ($40,600 US) for the second. The proposal would punish social media users who broke the law but exempt social media companies that host such content from fines.

The news, first reported by Canada’s public broadcaster, comes after a 20-year-old man recently rammed his truck into a family of five in Ontario, killing everyone but a 9-year-old, in what Canadian police say was an anti-Muslim terror attack.

Canada’s Attorney General David Lametti assured Canadians that the proposed law would not target “simple expressions of dislike or disdain” during a virtual press conference on Wednesday that was livestreamed on YouTube.

Instead, Lametti said, the law is only designed to punish the most extreme forms of hatred that “expresses detestation or vilification of a person or group on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.” ...

More at Gizmodo

[mountaineer]

Here's the story from Canada's state-sponsored media.

Ottawa outlines new legislation to define and crack down on online hate speech
Proposed legislation would define hate speech as 'detestation or vilification of a person or group'
Nick Boisvert · CBC News · Posted: Jun 23, 2021 9:25 PM ET | Last Updated: June 23

The Trudeau government is proposing legal changes intended to curb online hate speech and make it easier for the victims of hate speech to launch complaints.

The proposed Bill C-36 includes an addition to the Canadian Human Rights Act that the government says will clarify the definition of online hate speech and list it as a form of discrimination.

"These changes are designed to target the most egregious and clear forms of hate speech that can lead to discrimination and violence," said Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti at a Wednesday evening news conference. ...

The Conservatives described the legislation as "posturing" before a possible election. The party said that if it passes, the bill would restrict the rights of Canadians.

"This bill will not target hate speech — just ensure bureaucrats in Ottawa are bogged down with frivolous complaints about tweets," said Rob Moore, the Conservative's shadow minister for justice and the attorney general, in a statement. ...

CBC

[rustynail]

Oh Canada.

[Hoodat]

Human thought has been criminalized.

[PeteS in CA]

Vague terms = politicized intent and enforcement.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Are Canadians required to write online hate speech in both English and French?

Maybe they'd be less hateful if Canada could relax some of its Covid restictions.

For a nation that is touted as an example of government-run healthcare, they seem to be behind on vaccinations.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Here's the story from Canada's state-sponsored media.CBC

Posturing... before an election? You mean stuff like this is actually popular with the people in Canada?

[PeteS in CA]

...
For a nation that is touted as an example of government-run healthcare, they seem to be behind on vaccinations.

They were, but caught up to the US in late May. With which vaccine(s) is an interesting question, hopefully no Sinovac or Sinopharm. Their surge in late March through late May - a surge of similar magnitude to the late 2020 surge the US experienced - may reflect Canada's vaccinations lag.

Why Canuckian pols didn't support Canadian company Medicago in its vaccine development and testing is a mystery to me. Canuckian pols pooed that screwch.

Per this, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines.html , the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines are currently approved for use in Canada. Pfizer was approved for use on 12/9/2020, Moderna on 12/23, AZ on 2/26/2021, and J&J on 3/23. Had Canada had their purchase contracts ducks in order, they could have had the vaccines doses on hand to get serious about vaccinations a couple months earlier than they did.

[Hoodat]

For a nation that is touted as an example of government-run healthcare, they seem to be behind on vaccinations.

What do you expect for having only one health care provider for the second largest country in the world.

[mountaineer]

Jun 28, 2021 10:35 AM EST
Roberto Wakerell-Cruz
Canadians have not sent a single letter in support of Trudeau's censorship czar, says his office
"A very high proportion of Canadians are asking the government to step in," Guilbeault testified January 29 at the Commons heritage committee. "It is very clear we will act."

The office of Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault has not received any letters in support of his department's push to censor the internet, his staff has revealed, according to Blacklock's Reporter.

While Guilbeault had previously cited statistics that Canadians wanted more regulations around the internet, specifically when it comes to content deemed "hateful" and the responsibilities of web giants to remove those posts within 24 hours, it appears as though support for censorship remains low—this in spite of Guilbeault's claim that only a "minority" of Canadians oppose it." ... Rest of story

[mountaineer]

Meanwhile, multiple Catholic churches in Canada have been burned to the ground recently. Not a peep from Trudeau. Not a hate crime, perhaps.

[Wingnut]

They were right about baby Trudeau. The best part of him ran down his mama's leg.

[Smokin Joe]

Human thought has been criminalized.

That was obvious when Free Dominion was hounded out of existence.

[Smokin Joe]

What do you expect for having only one health care provider for the second largest country in the world.

Canadians used to come down to the US to have coronary procedures. I'm not sure what is happening with that now.

[Kamaji]

Wow.   Full on fascism.

[Wingnut]

Canadians used to come down to the US to have coronary procedures. I'm not sure what is happening with that now.

Border must be closed.  Usually we are lousy with Canuck tourons down here this time of year.   They have been replace with riff raff spending their free covid money and acting like thugs and fools.  Makes me miss the people from the GWN even if they suck at driving.

[Smokin Joe]

Border must be closed.  Usually we are lousy with Canuck tourons down here this time of year.   They have been replace with riff raff spending their free covid money and acting like thugs and fools.  Makes me miss the people from the GWN even if they suck at driving.

The Canadians I knew mostly rode motorcycles, and weren't that bad. Cagers are another matter, no matter the license plate.