TDF's Mark Joseph explains Trudeau's 'Online Harms Act' censorship bill
Mark Joseph criticized the legislation, now in its second reading in parliament, for its vague definitions that will most likely target dissenting voices like Rebel News.
This is just an excerpt from The Ezra Levant Show. To see new, ad-free episodes, which air Monday - Friday @ 8 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. MT, become a subscriber to RebelNews+. This episode originally aired on October 11, 2024.
On last night's episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra was joined by The Democracy Fund's lawyer, Mark Joseph, to discuss the Trudeau Liberal's Online Harms Act.
Mark shared insights from a newly published legal brief that critiques the legislation currently in its second reading in Parliament.“We’ve taken a fine-tooth comb to the bill, and there are a lot of problems,” Joseph stated, emphasizing the need to separate child protection measures from broader censorship provisions. “To the extent there are legal gaps in child protection, we don’t have a problem with that. But the remaining parts of the bill are problematic.”
Mark outlined three main components of the Act: reintroducing a hate speech provision in the Canadian Human Rights Act, amending the Criminal Code for hate-motivated offences, and creating a Digital Safety Commission to regulate online speech. Ezra criticized the bill for its vague definitions, arguing it would lead to abuse. “It’s a subjective test—saying something 'likely' to cause hard feelings could make anyone a target.”
Both expressed concerns about how the law might specifically target dissenting voices like Rebel News. “If it passes as it is, it will be difficult for dissenting news organizations to fight back,” Mark warned, highlighting the lengthy administrative processes involved.
Ezra concluded, “This is part of Trudeau’s obsession with controlling voices. We have to fight this.” Mark urged Canadians to stay informed, noting the legal brief is available on the Democracy Fund’s website.
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Eitan Gilboord commented 2024-10-15 09:09:34 -0400Thank you for all the hard work you’re doing, Mark!
