World Press Freedom Canada (WPFC) held an event last week in partnership with the UN where speakers argued that the government needs to ramp up censorship. 

“Online hate and harassment” was the main theme of the event, and censorship was the solution. 

President of WPFC Heather Bakken celebrated the passing of the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11). The Online Streaming Act allows the Canadian government to influence social media algorithms to promote state-approved content.

Bakken acknowledged that legislation designed to regulate the internet can limit freedoms, but she said “they are guardrails that are designed to protect our freedom now and in the future.” 

Bakken then promoted two other censorship bills that the Trudeau Liberals are currently trying to pass: the Online News Act (Bill C-18) and the Online Safety Bill (C-36).

Subsequently, Bakken called up the Canadian Minister of Heritage Parliamentary Secretary Chris Brittle, who went on to promote Bill C-18.

Bill C-18, which passed in the House of Commons in December 2022, is currently under Senate committee review. Many Big Tech players are warning that the Bill would hurt all journalists. 

CBC joins in on calls for censorship

Another speaker, former CBC journalist Anna Maria Tremonti, actually admitted that censorship is bad, but she said “we are already in a world of trouble.” 

“Serious journalists doing their jobs seek accountability from elected officials,” she said. 

Tremonti said that social media companies aren’t up to the task to regulate hate speech. She also lauded the idea of “global regulation.” 

The host of the event, Karyn Pugliese, argued that without censorship, online threats and harassment lead to silenced voices. 

“Left unchecked, this is the targeting of mostly women and racialized reporters — and this will narrow the scope of our public discourse,” she said.

Ironically, the WPFC made its appeal for more censorship on World Press Freedom Day.