An Access to Information request has revealed that the federal government put together an internal plan to monitor online content and potentially sue individual Canadians over what they post.
The strategy is laid out in a 35-page internal document from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which was obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter. The department is headed by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. Now the non-profit Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) is reaching out to find out whether any Canadians have received notices from the federal government about taking down their online posts.
Based on the records, the department set up a framework to track online narratives, comb through individual social media posts on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and X, and size up potential threats tied to what the government calls online misinformation. The redacted documents show it built out an escalation process for dealing with targeted content, and that process included the option of taking legal action against individual Canadians over what they post.
The JCCF has responded publicly by offering to help affected people, stating: “If you receive a government demand letter seeking the removal of your online content, submit a request for legal representation to the Justice Centre. We want to hear from you.”
So far the federal government hasn’t said anything about how the monitoring program actually works or how often it has weighed legal escalation.
Just last month, the Liberal government quietly passed its controversial Bill C-22, seen as a spy bill, overnight without any debate. Companies such as Apple, Google and numerous VPN companies argued strongly against the bill, but it didn’t matter in the end.
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Straight out of China’s playbook. But that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Umm no. Who are the half-wits who upvoted your post? It’s straight out of Trump’s playback. Projecting much, Jason?
so were trying act like china but now they’re 100 steps ahead of us. might get a letter for this comment?
I have no problem with cleaning up the misinformation clogging up discussions online. Some of these bad actors are trying to lead our young people to dangerous places. The key is having the right people making the call on what is appropriate or not.
Politician better be included, if they lie, the government better take action to have those post removed and take legal action against them?
when was the last time you ever heard about any politician in Canada have to admit or take any consequences for lying ? …
Funny how quick the half-wits on this site are quick to point to China when it’s Trump they should be pointing at.
LOL half wits ? … that’s hatred better be careful … you can say anything in you want in the US .. try that in China.
They should start with the politicians who stand there and lie through their teeth, and stand behind their political leader like a bunch of trained seals, see you in court.