Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s proposed Online Harms Bill, one of the Human Rights Tribunal members who would oversee hate speech complaints, once filed a hate speech complaint against MacLean’s Magazine — and lost.
Immigration lawyer Naseem Mithoowani, appointed to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2021, would oversee hate speech complaints under Trudeau’s new bill, giving her the ability to fine individuals up to $70,000 for speech she determines is “likely to foment detestation or vilification of an individual or group of individuals on the basis of such a prohibited ground.”
These are the grounds on which, in 2006, Mithoowani tried to censor MacLean’s Magazine, alleging they committed hate speech, as reported by the globe and mail.
Along with a group of students, Mithoowani argued the outlet was guilty of hate speech against Muslims for an article written by Mark Steyn titled The Future Belongs to Islam. Steyn’s article, which was actually an excerpt from his book America Alone, argued that the goal of Islamists was the “re-establishment of a Muslim caliphate, living under sharia, that extends to Europe.” Steyn argued that Western countries “will not survive this century.”
The hate speech complaint against Steyn was dropped because he argued his claim was not about all Muslims.
New bill allows for anonymous complaints
The text of the Trudeau Government’s bill allows for hate speech complaints to be filed anonymously to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Another part of the bill reflects the 2002 movie Minority Report, calling for citizens to be placed under house arrest if “a person fears on reasonable grounds that another person will commit an offense.”
In other words, individuals can be punished for crimes they haven’t committed.
Virani acknowledged those with concerns over how the Online Harms Bill could limit their freedom of expression, but said that the increased power it provides would be a “very, very important” tool.
“There’s a lot of bad stuff out there. But this is not about the bad stuff. This is a much higher level,” he assured.
Conservative MP Rachel Thomas has called the bill “insane,” claiming “The Liberals want to punish people for a crime they *MIGHT* commit!”The Liberals have stated the bill wouldincrease free speech.
