Debates of Oct. 29th, 2026

Safe Social Media Act

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interesting speech.

In its charter statement, the Department of Justice recognizes that the bill engages freedom of expression guaranteed under section 2(b) and the right to equality guaranteed under section 15 because it makes a distinction based on age, as well as the right to privacy under section 8 because the age verification or age estimation measures may require the collection of personal information.

What strikes me is that the charter statement is based on guidelines that will be developed later by the commission, on future regulations, and on an exemption for services that provide—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I must interrupt the hon. member to give the parliamentary secretary the opportunity to respond.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question, and I thank my colleague for asking it. I am a big believer in technological advances. The AgeStandard initiative that I mentioned earlier is suggesting that age verification be done by analyzing facial features, without seeking to identify the individual, or in other words, an automated age verification process that does not collect any personal information. That is just one example of what could be used. I think that members will have the opportunity in committee to examine charter compliance, which must always come first. I think it is possible to do that with Bill C-41 and the charter.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage considered the issue, it adopted the following recommendation:

That the Government of Canada, in addressing the effects of influencers and social media on children and adolescents—and while recognizing the jurisdiction and primacy of the provinces in matters relating to social services and youth protection—adopt an asymmetrical and flexible approach.

I would like to ask my hon. colleague how, with Bill C-34, the government is taking an asymmetrical and flexible approach that recognizes the jurisdiction and primacy of Quebec and the provinces and how the government consulted and worked with Quebec and the provinces on this bill.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the two approaches are complementary. I have been watching the work of the Quebec National Assembly. It has focused on the effects of screen use in school, how families can better support their children, and specific health and education issues. I believe that Bill C‑41 addresses problems created by global platforms. I also believe the federal government has a fundamental role to play in establishing appropriate standards while giving platforms an opportunity to adapt. If they do so, then there will be no need for age verification. If they do not, I think it is our duty to intervene. I think this approach is in line with what almost all Quebeckers want.

[Marilyn Gladu, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this bill does something very important: Anything that is currently illegal in the real world will also be illegal in the digital world. How can we ensure compliance with our laws?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague just made a very important point. Bill C‑41 does what is being done elsewhere. It regulates things that are not allowed, such as bullying and sexual exploitation. Basically, we need to recognize that online life is just as important in this day and age. We are doing that by introducing regulations that will evolve as technology evolves.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour and a pleasure to rise in the House as the voice of Calgary Midnapore. I am so grateful for my citizens. Many of my citizens, including my parents, of course, and myself, are parents. When we talk about being a parent, we may have many other titles and roles in our lives. We may be a sister or a cousin. In our work, we have many roles. We may be a colleague, perhaps a subordinate or even a leader, a boss, someone who has to take the care and responsibility of others into consideration. I know that any parent, not only in Calgary Midnapore but across Canada, would agree that there is nothing more important than their role as a parent and the safety of their children. We all love our children. I cannot think of anything more dear or precious to me than my son, and I know all parents feel this way about their children.

It should be known to Canadians that protecting kids online is non-negotiable for Conservatives. However, good intentions require sound mechanisms. We must be focused on holding tech giants accountable and empowering parents, not expanding government bureaucracy. As this bill moves to committee, we will scrutinize its provisions to ensure that it delivers real protection for children. As a parent, I want nothing more than that for our children and for the parents of Canada.

Online harms are a real problem, and the problem is twofold. Number one, children are exposed to addictive platforms. I see this in my household, and when friends come over, all the time. There is inappropriate content, exploitation and many other harms. Secondly, parents are overwhelmed by rapidly changing technology and fighting an uphill battle against big tech. This was never more prevalent than during COVID, when all parents across the nation all of a sudden had to become IT consultants, so to speak, as they navigated schooling for their children during that difficult time.

These are real problems. According to Statistics Canada, one in four children aged 12 to 17 has experienced cyber-bullying, and police reported online child sexual exploitation incidents reaching 16,905 in 2024, up 347% from 2014. Cyber-victimization is also associated with serious mental health outcomes, including suicidal ideation and attempts. Canada has experienced the devastating impacts and real-world consequences of online harms. The tragic case of Amanda Todd, who died by suicide after experiencing sextortion and cyber-bullying, illustrates the devastating impact these harms can have on young people. In addition, I have two examples from my home province of Alberta.

Dated September 25, the headline on the first article states, “After 2 youths stalked on Snapchat, review your kid’s settings, police urge”. The article reads, “Police in Alberta are urging parents to check the location settings on their children’s social media and communication apps after two youth allegedly being sexually exploited in Edmonton were followed to their homes.” This is outlining the threats. “'The victims reported that they complied out of extreme fear for their safety and the safety of their family,'” again outlining the threats.

The article continues: “The suspect allegedly tracked the victim’s location via Snapchat and travelled to their family home. ALERT said they allegedly knew both the victims’ home address and what school they attended.” This is the type of threat that exists as a result of social media. That is one example from my home province of Alberta.

The headline on the second article says, “Edmonton teens, 14, charged after AI used to make sexualized images of classmates”. The article states, “Two Edmonton junior high students are facing child sexual exploitation charges for allegedly using AI to generate sexualized images of classmates. Such charges are only the tip of the iceberg in an emerging area of online child sex abuse, police say, adding it remains difficult to hold AI platforms themselves accountable.”

Problems for children are many, and children spend a large portion of their lives online. For today's youth, digital platforms are not separate from everyday life. This is where they socialize, build relationships, access information, express themselves and, increasingly, interact with AI. As a result, what happens online can have profound real-world consequences, including exposure to cyber-bullying, sexual exploitation, self-harm and eating disorder content, violence, and other harmful material.

Children are vulnerable to the ways that platforms are designed. Platform features, such as recommendation algorithms, push notifications, endless scrolling and autoplay can repeatedly direct youth towards content that keeps them engaged. These design choices can amplify exposure to harmful material and make it difficult for young users to disengage. At the same time, AI chatbots and digital companions are becoming increasingly integrated into the platforms used by young people, creating new and largely untested risks.

In addition to problems for children, there are problems for parents. Parents cannot solve the problem alone, and they are asking for help. They can set boundaries, monitor devices and talk to children about online safety. We have done all of this in my home, but parents cannot control how platforms and algorithms recommend content, prevent strangers from contacting their children or remove harmful material at scale.

Parents need technology companies and governments to share responsibility for creating a safer online environment for children. We do not ask parents to enforce car seat standards or alcohol laws by themselves, and online safety should be no different. In fact, according to an Angus Reid survey, 75% of Canadians, and 70% of parents with children in the home, support banning social media for youth under 16.

I will give an example in my province of such legislation. This legislation exists not only in Alberta but also across other provinces in the federation. On June 17, 2024, it was decreed:

Parents, teachers, students and our education partners were clear that the use of personal mobile devices and social media in the classroom was of concern. We're taking a measured approach to protect students by restricting the use of personal mobile devices during instructional time to reduce distractions and bullying, maximize learning time and support student mental health.

This is one province that has taken an approach to such threats and such risks, because the threats, as I said, are very much real.

We need to consider also the duties of operators, because these operators have a duty to protect our children. They should require social media services and chatbot services to implement design features respecting the protection of children, as per future regulations. They should require social media services to implement age verification estimation to prevent users who are under 16 from setting up or maintaining accounts. As well, they should require regulated services that provide access to pornographic material to implement age verification or age estimation to prevent children from getting access to these platforms. These operators have a duty to act responsibly. They should require social media services and chatbots to assess and mitigate the risks associated with several categories of harmful content. As well, they have a duty to make certain that certain content is inaccessible and require social media services to take down content that sexually victimizes children.

Our Conservative principles regarding online safety are clear, and as a parent and as a mother, I ask the government to consider them.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the member's speech. I am really glad that there is a lot of consensus across all parties on this bill.

This is so essential in my role, and I have heard briefing after briefing. We have talked about a lot of different crimes, but on the harm that is happening to our children online, as the member pointed out, we have seen an increase of over 400% over the last decade, and even year on year, about a 64% increase in luring children online.

I want to thank the RCMP for all the work it does to combat this issue, but holding social media companies liable is a really important part of this piece. I want to hear the members' comments on reporting to police services.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to hear my colleague across the aisle indicate that she believes holding social media platforms accountable for the safety of our children is important. It indicates to me that she recognizes that her role as a government member is to create this environment and enforce it with social media platforms.

In this moment, I think that Canadians and parents across Canada are uncertain if the government is willing to do the difficult things and stand up to big social media regarding keeping our children safe. I will take her words and her commentary as an acceptance of the responsibility of government to hold social media companies to account.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, the time has come to deal with this situation.

My question is this. In our society, which level of government is ultimately responsible for protecting young people? I am thinking of the young people in Quebec, for example.

Would my colleague agree that, while legislation is needed, it is up to the Quebec nation to have a serious discussion about these legislative choices?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is everyone's responsibility to protect young people. I think that is probably the most important aspect of the bill. Protecting young people is up to me, as a parent, but it is also up to the government and companies. I hope the government will accept its responsibility in that regard.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the member's speech, she mentioned that, although the bill is well-intentioned and there are some good elements to it, one of her concerns was the potential of adding additional bureaucracy, which could slow down some of the things we are trying to accomplish with the bill, certainly in ensuring that the tools are there for our law enforcement to act on these things.

Could the member build on some of her concerns regarding other elements of the bill, including the bureaucracy, that are a concern to our stakeholders?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question.

There are three concerns when it comes to bureaucracy. The first, of course, is that bureaucracy always has a price, and with this government, it is a very big one. Second, a bureaucracy allows the government and the ministers to deflect responsibility back onto the bureaucracy when they themselves should be taking responsibility, especially in a situation where something so precious as our children is involved. Finally, a bureaucracy gives unelected officials power to harm people. I am very concerned about the bureaucratic aspects of this, because as we can see, the risks are many.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the fact that the government is looking at regulating social media among young people. I also commend the leadership shown by the Premier of Quebec, who was one of the first people in Quebec to raise this issue. Other western countries are also considering this.

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I think I am bothering one of my colleagues. I hope it is not just because I am speaking French.

Some countries are taking a bold approach. Others are waiting to see what kind of legislation is passed and may take their cue from what we do here.

I am certainly not the only one who sees people my age in my circle of friends who go into a trance as soon as they open Instagram or TikTok, although that app is not as popular as it once was. Of course, there are also the short videos on Facebook.

The tech giants understand human nature. They understand the weaknesses of the human mind, how our attention span works and, most importantly, how to keep us hooked. They know how to get our attention and feed us content that can make us lose all sense of time. I do not think there is a single person here who has not experienced this. In fact, many of the people who created these platforms admit that they too fall victim to their own tactics and this game. Our partners, our children, our friends—all are susceptible.

The difference is that we are adults and we have free will. In theory, we are equipped to understand these dangers but, as with any addiction, it is difficult to break free, especially once we have lost track of time.

Now, let us think about all the 12-year-old boys and girls who are just starting junior high. Their parents buy them a cellphone because they want to keep track of where they are going and because junior high brings with it a new kind of freedom. Parents also want to be able to contact their children. There are all sorts of good reasons for these kids to have cellphones. We are no longer talking about the old flip phones that no one wanted to send text messages on because it took too long. Kids can now get on the Internet with their phones. They have access to social media. There are apps to block social media, but let us be serious. Young people want a digital presence. It is important to point that out. We obviously have to keep up with the times. That is why Bill C-34 is so important.

Digital communication is at now at the centre of our lives. If we do not regulate it, we are leaving young people to navigate these platforms alone, platforms where they may be exposed to cyber-bullying, content that is not age appropriate and mechanisms designed to keep them online into the wee hours of the morning. I remember when I was old enough to get my driver's licence, I was told to save my money so that I could buy myself a car. A car does not come for free and it comes with rules. It is important to know how to navigate this digital world because, even though it may be intangible, there are still public health and safety issues to consider.

There is also something that is not as easy to pick up on among young people: young people who isolate themselves, who become withdrawn and whose mental health could be affected by online pressure and interactions. When I talk about interactions, I think about the fact that every second we are in front of a screen adds up. Screen time could even take the place of time spent sleeping. We also know that the amount of time spent doing physical activity and being physically present with others is decreasing. We all know that sedentary lifestyles can be harmful to physical health. In addition, online pressure and interactions can take a heavy toll on mental health. These effects are real and cannot be ignored. The pandemic reminded us just how much young people need to interact with others in order to learn to socialize. When so many of our interactions are happening only online, socialization becomes more difficult and some people may withdraw into themselves.

I am sure that my very attentive colleagues agree. We must learn from what is happening now and help both current and future generations develop a healthy relationship with digital tools without becoming dependent on them.

On social media, young people see digitally enhanced bodies and carefully curated lives. Success often appears effortless, but comparing ourselves to those images can leave us feeling that we are not attractive enough, popular enough or successful enough. In fact, a study of just over 21,000 youth aged 10 to 17 in six countries, including Canada, found that 55% were dissatisfied with their appearance. One could argue that not many of us are satisfied, but dissatisfaction tends to increase as time spent on social media increases.

We already use this approach for other products. For instance, tobacco advertising, packaging and warnings are regulated. The same goes for cannabis. There is a minimum age, and marketing aimed at young people is tightly restricted. With social media, the risks are different, but the principle is the same: Protect people and prevent harm through regulations. Limiting young people's access is therefore a public health measure, not arbitrary control. We need to make that distinction.

We in the Bloc Québécois think it is normal and preferable for laws to adapt quickly to technological changes. Our laws are lagging far behind, and this gap must be closed to keep up with the accelerating pace of AI. Even the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for rules to protect children across all social media. These are the rules we are being called upon to discuss and debate as we study Bill C-34. I hope that the discussions will be very constructive once the bill passes this stage and that the committee will come up with effective measures to keep our young people on the right track.

What rules should we bring in to regulate social media and protect young people? Which level of government within the Canadian federation has the jurisdiction to address this challenge? These are questions that need to be asked as this bill proposes a federal regulatory framework for social media and chatbots.

This bill would also impose a number of duties on digital platforms, including a duty to protect minors and to make certain content inaccessible. This will, in fact, help to educate parents. The bill places obligations on these platforms, including requirements to remove content depicting sexual victimization and non-consensual intimate images. It proposes a range of principles, obligations and enforcement mechanisms aimed at holding digital platforms accountable, protecting minors and ensuring online safety.

The Bloc Québécois supports these objectives and sees the positive side of a number of the principles and proposed solutions. However, each of these measures will require careful examination. I repeat that, in committee, I hope we will ensure that our decisions are guided by science, facts and research, and not simply guided by assumptions or, I dare say, partisan politics. As the Bloc Québécois has always maintained, we must also ensure that the federal government does not encroach on areas of jurisdiction that belong to Quebec and the provinces.

In conclusion, in 2024 and 2025, Quebec's National Assembly established a Select Committee on the Impacts of Screens and Social Media on Young People's Health and Development. Let us draw on the work of our counterparts to ensure a healthy digital environment for our young people.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciated the speech by my colleague from Laurentides—Labelle.

I must acknowledge that the Bloc Québécois has consistently advocated strong measures to combat cyber-bullying and threats of all kinds directed at children. Those are values we share. In the case of this bill, many of its provisions are aimed at preventing the commission and perpetuation of criminal offences.

I want to know whether my colleague agrees that prevention should be one of the main objectives of a bill like this one.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what a great question from my colleague.

I come from the community sector, a sector that is stretched thin in Quebec, and I know that prevention is key. Indeed, when we see the strategies being used by platforms that turn young people into zombies, we understand that safeguards need to be implemented. We need to invest more and develop a legislative framework that protects the physical and mental health of our young people.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and thank my colleague and friend, the member for Laurentides—Labelle, for her great speech. The topic is important, and she addressed it with heartfelt conviction.

The issue covered by this bill touches on many areas of jurisdiction that belong to Quebec and the provinces, including social services, youth protection and other related sectors.

In my colleague's view, has the government worked closely enough with Quebec and the provinces on this matter? Did it adequately consult the other levels of government before introducing this bill?

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly the question we are asking.

We are perfectly comfortable with the bill and we hope it will pass into law. Once it is referred to committee, I hope that Quebec and the provinces will be consulted, considering the research they conducted, the evidence they gathered from scientists and the measures they implemented that we need to use for inspiration.

The government may have consulted the provinces to some degree, but a lot more such consultation is needed.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank our colleague for her speech.

I thank her for supporting the measures proposed by the Canadian government to protect young people and for recognizing that this is a shared responsibility. The Canadian government has a responsibility, including because social media has no borders.

It is an excellent recognition of the role of the Canadian government, which must act in collaboration with other players, of course.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, the new government at the National Assembly of Quebec includes people who are very competent. I must say that the MNA for the Laurentians, Anne Nguyen, has a great deal of expertise.

I cannot wait for the bill to see the light of day because it is high time this law was implemented quickly, especially given that artificial intelligence is so pervasive in our lives.

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in her speech, my colleague said that she hoped her colleagues were listening attentively. We certainly were, because right after, she talked about how it is important to protect the younger generation.

In that spirit, under the framework of the bill, instead of an outright ban on social media, it would allow certain platforms to be exempt from the age verification obligations if they can show that they have a robust safety plan in place.

I want to know what my colleague thinks of this approach. Rather than being subject an outright ban, platforms would be given an opportunity to implement preventative measures. What does she think about that?

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in less than 30 seconds, I will say that the government needs to consult public safety stakeholders and every province and territory. I think the government will then get feedback that would likely be very positive.

That said, I would remind the House that it is also important for the government to focus on its own affairs.