The current Liberal government has a number of pieces of legislation in progress right now that involve issues around the privacy of Canadians. Yet most Canadians seem to be slumbering through this potential landmine with no concern. Perhaps ignorance is bliss, but if our privacy is seriously compromised by this Liberal government, many Canadians will regret not paying attention. And let’s face it, governments with nefarious aims always couch their goals in the language of safety and security for citizens.
One of the most consistent and credible voices speaking to this issue is Michael Geist, a law professor in Internet and E-commerce Law at Ottawa University. In a recent commentary on all of the privacy-related bills currently under consideration, Geist speaks of the apparent obsession this Liberal government has had with privacy issues for years. Of course they are all presented under the guise of security, safety, protecting children from online predators, etc., when what they really have in common is enhanced government access to the personal data of Canadians.
Geist notes that while the Liberal government consistently claims it plans to establish privacy as a fundamental right, while continually introducing legislation that invades the privacy of citizens. For instance, the original border measures act included the ability of government to demand information from citizens with zero evidence of wrongdoing and no need for a warrant. This had nothing to do with the border, and Geist states it seemed to be an attempt to hide these incredibly invasive provisions within an unrelated piece of legislation to sneak it by Canadians. Geist suspects the same intent was behind the inclusion of an exemption for federal political parties to be bound by provincial privacy law, buried in a Bill that supposedly addressed affordability measures. Yes Canadians, your government is attempting to dupe you. Beware.
The latest outrage is the so-called Safe Social Media Act, Bill C-34, the legislation that purports to protect children from online predators and other hateful content by restricting access to social media for those under 16 years of age. Some commentators have sarcastically noted how a child in Canada can get access to government-provided drugs yet can’t have a Facebook account. They’re not wrong.
The need for age verification to access social media will require all Canadians active on social media to confirm their age and identity. This is the entrée to digital ID, where the government will know what you are doing, what you are purchasing, who you are contacting etc. Kind of like the Chinese social credit system, where if citizens are doing things like using too much gasoline in a given month they are forbidden from buying more, and if they misbehave according to the government they face higher interest rates on mortgages and other such fun things. Let’s not go there, Canada.
It’s also worth considering why three Commonwealth countries – all of whom have leftist governments – are at the same time wanting to impose an age limit for social media access. Canada, the UK and Australia are all attempting to introduce similar legislation, which could well lead to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) goal of having massive information on all citizens, and therefore immense control. You know, that WEF that told us we would own nothing, but be happy? The one whose Board Prime Minister Mark Carney used to sit on? It’s no coincidence that these three countries with similar WEF pretensions are all attempting to introduce comparable laws about minors and social media at the same time.
Another dangerous Canadian Bill, the “Lawful Access” Bill C-22, requires internet providers to retain data on the communications on all of their users, no matter whether those users had done anything to warrant such invasive oversight. Some U.S. providers have already said this requirement, along with elements of the law that would put encryption at risk, would be enough for them to refuse to provide services in Canada. Why would the government ever need such intrusive ability to monitor all of its citizens? It sounds like a dystopic science fiction movie, but it is reality in current Canada under this Liberal government.
The bottom line is that we already have hate speech laws in Canada that can be applied to truly hateful content on the internet or anywhere else, and they are relatively well-defined. Setting up a whole bunch of new invasive laws with some bureaucrats having the responsibility of defining what they believe to be hateful or unacceptable speech is highly subjective and will undoubtedly be subject to the government in power’s partisan whim. As these laws lead to a clear reduction of personal privacy for Canadians, with the spectre of a social credit-type system with frightening government power, they must be resisted at all costs.
Of course, many folks in favour of further censorship in Canada would say that worrying about all these privacy-related pieces of legislation is a conspiracy theory with no real basis in fact. Others state that the difference between a conspiracy theory and reality these days is barely a few months. Considering this Liberal government’s clear obsession with privacy concerns, it would seem that the latter group has a good case. Once this Pandora’s box is open, it will be very difficult to close.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
