Stand Up for Free Speech
Stop Bill C-63
Your Action Is Needed: Protect Our Constitutional Right to Free Expression
Canadians are waking up to the serious threat that the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) in the House of Commons is to the core freedom of speech and expression that we, Canadians, hold dear.
Key Concerns with Bill C-63
- Introduction of a New Complaint Mechanism: Bill C-63 proposes a system allowing Canadians to report speech they consider discriminatory. A quasi-judicial tribunal could then impose fines up to $50,000 and award up to $20,000 to complainants, who may remain anonymous. Decisions would rely on a “balance of probabilities” rather than the stringent criminal standard of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
- Severe Penalties for Speech: The bill suggests increasing the penalty for “advocating genocide” from a maximum of five years to life imprisonment, highlighting a drastic move where words alone could result in life behind bars.
- Restrictive Measures on Future Speech: It would empower judges to impose prior restraints on individuals they believe might commit speech offences.
- Obligations for Social Media Platforms: Social media companies must minimize the risk of exposing users to “harmful content,” facing substantial fines for non-compliance.
- Chilling Effect on Free Speech: The potential for human rights complaints and fines will likely deter Canadians and social media platforms from engaging in or allowing free and open discourse, even when it concerns protected speech.
Why This Matters:
The approach proposed by Bill C-63 represents a severe overreach. It substitutes draconian measures for reasoned debate and infringes upon our cherished constitutional freedoms. It assigns excessive power to administrative entities over the judicial system, threatening the very fabric of our democratic principles.
Your Voice Can Make a Difference:
We must come together to voice our opposition to Bill C-63. By doing so, we advocate not just for the preservation of our rights but for the foundational principles of democracy and freedom of expression.
Tell Your MP to Stand Against Bill C-63
Please contact your Member of Parliament today and express your strong opposition to the Online Harms Act. Make it clear that protecting Canadians from online harm should not come at the expense of our constitutional rights to free speech.
To my Member of Parliament,
Please take a moment to fill out the form below and add your voice to the chorus of Canadians standing for freedom of expression:
I am deeply concerned about the proposed Bill C-63, also known as the Online Harms Act. This legislation, as it stands, is a direct threat to the principles of free expression, imposing severe penalties for online communication and potentially stifling lawful discourse.
It is imperative that you use your influence to ensure that the Online Harms Act does not pass in its present state.
Signed,
Together, We Can Protect Free Speech
By signing this petition, you’re not just opposing a piece of legislation but standing up for the principles that define us as Canadians. Let’s ensure that our commitment to free expression remains unshaken.