Evidence of meeting #127 for Justice and Human Rights in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was platforms.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab
Thank you very much for that.
Mr. Fortin, you now have the floor for two minutes.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Baron, I thought I saw on your LinkedIn page that you speak French; I'll take advantage of that.
I won't make you repeat what you've already said, but I'd like to bring you to another topic addressed by Mr. Rousseau, which is the abolition of religious exceptions in the Criminal Code.
Bill C‑373 has been introduced, and it provides for the repeal of paragraphs 319(3)(b) and 319(3.1)(b) of the Criminal Code. These are provisions that serve as a defence for hate speech or anti-Semitic speech, as long as it is based on a religious concept that we believe in and defend in good faith. In my opinion, the spread of hatred seems a bit difficult to accept as part of a religion. I would say that 99% of religions are based on love and communal harmony, not on the spread of hate.
Is it a good idea to abolish these defences of religious exception? I'd like to hear your thoughts.
Executive Director, Canadian Constitution Foundation
I think it's a very complicated question. I think there are inherent problems with criminalization of speech altogether. Having said that, I think that, as a secular, pluralistic society, if we're going to deem something as hate speech, it should be hate speech whether it's based in the individual's religious belief or whether it's based in some secular philosophy.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Only a minute and a half has gone by, and I feel like I've covered the issue. Ms. Baron, thank you for your clear answer.
I'm going to give the remaining minute of speaking time to my NDP colleague.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
I would still like to take this opportunity to thank all the witnesses for being with us today.
Liberal
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Baron, I guess I want to talk to you about your views on the responsibilities that social media companies should assume. An example was given in the previous panel about how Instagram suddenly made private the accounts of everyone who was 16 or younger, because there were people who were going through those images and trying to find ways to approach young teens. Instagram could have done this 10 years ago, but they did it now because there was the threat of regulation coming their way.
These social media companies have algorithms that can amplify certain content and suppress other content. What is your view on the government's role in making these social media companies have some basic standards of practice that allow people to safely participate online? Again, one day it might be freedom of expression that's being compromised, people being able to freely express themselves. The great fear is that this can follow them from the online space and manifest itself physically. People are feeling that their actual lives are in danger.
What are your views on how we approach the subject of making social media companies more responsible for making a safer online space?
Executive Director, Canadian Constitution Foundation
My instinct would be to say—and this is a bit out of my zone of expertise—that when it comes to children and their use of social media, I think parents are primarily responsible, to be honest. I don't think the government should take the place of parents supervising—
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Isn't the government's main job to protect its citizens? I understand your point there, but at some point we need to use the collective power of the state to at least make these social media companies a little bit more responsible. I think that's just what I'm asking for.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab
Thank you.
Thank you very much to our witnesses who appeared in person and virtually. I wish everybody a wonderful, safe rest of today.
Thank you very much to the committee members for a wonderful session. I wish you all a very nice Christmas holiday season, and I will see you in January.
I am going to suspend now. Thank you.
[The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m., Monday, January 6, 2025. See Minutes of Proceedings]