Peter Menzies: Feds Showing Signs of Retreat on Controversial Online Harms Legislation

Commentary The federal government’s awkward and at times ham-fisted efforts to regulate how Canadian citizens communicate on the internet are poised to move to the next level with the unveiling of its long-promised Online Harms Act. The House of Commons was notified Feb. 23 that the legislation—the early versions of which were likened to internet restrictions imposed by governments in Iran, China, and North Korea—will be tabled Feb. 26 when Parliament returns from its February break. First promised in the 2019 election and then again guaranteed to be introduced within 100 days of the 2021 election, the Online Harms Act initially conceived by the Trudeau government called for the creation of an Online Safety Commissioner with extensive powers ranging from  24-hour takedown orders, $25 million fines, and even site-blocking orders....