National

Online harms bill: Don't link boy's suicide with government actions, Trudeau says

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Nov, 2023 02:17 PM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it's inappropriate to draw a link between government actions and the death of a British Columbia boy who killed himself last month after falling prey to online sextortion.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh referred to the death of the 12-year-old in Prince George, B.C., during question period today as he asked Trudeau when the Liberal government will table long-promised legislation designed to mitigate online harms.

Trudeau first promised to introduce legislation tackling hate speech, terrorist content and sexual abuse material in the 2019 federal election campaign.

He made a similar promise in the 2021 contest, specifying that a re-elected Liberal government would table a bill within its first 100 days, but it has yet to do so.

Trudeau told MPs today that the government needs to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and addressing the needs of communities subject to "discrimination and marginalization."

The prime minister also cautioned against "associating a tragedy that happened in Prince George with actions or inactions of any particular government," adding in French that it was inappropriate to make such a connection.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Firefighter training under scrutiny as 'marathon' wildfire season gives hard lessons

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said while the curriculum for firefighter training remains primarily a provincial responsibility, all levels of government and firefighting jurisdictions need to look deeper into "greater interoperability" of crews regardless of where they are based.

Firefighter training under scrutiny as 'marathon' wildfire season gives hard lessons

Suspect charged in Cenotaph mischief

A 42-year-old man has been charged with mischief over an incident at the Cloverdale Cenotaph in Surrey more than five months ago. R-C-M-P say the suspect was arrested on July 18th over an incident in which the cenotaph's statue of a kneeling soldier was dismantled.

Suspect charged in Cenotaph mischief

Canadian evacuees tell of chaotic scenes in Maui wildfire 'war zone'

Canadians returning from Maui have told of harrowing scenes during their escape from the fire-devastated Hawaiian island. Among the evacuees was British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Matthew Taylor who drove through the ruined town of Lahaina on Thursday and said it resembled a "war zone."

Canadian evacuees tell of chaotic scenes in Maui wildfire 'war zone'

BC midwives and Province agree on 3 year wage increasing agreement

The new deal includes a series of fee increases and measures that the province says will provide more supports for Indigenous midwifery. A vote among members of the Midwives Association of British Columbia on July 31 garnered 99 per cent support for the agreement, with 89 per cent of eligible association members taking part in the ballot.

BC midwives and Province agree on 3 year wage increasing agreement

Harjot Singh Samra wanted Canada wide

Harjot Singh Samra, 27, was to report to his halfway house in Vancouver once he was released from prison yesterday, but failed to do so. Samra is 5’9″, weighs 252 pounds, and has a heavy build. He has brown/black hair with a balding hairline, and brown eyes.

Harjot Singh Samra wanted Canada wide

Collision between fuel truck and train in northern Alberta

Emergency crews are at the scene of a collision between a fuel truck and a train in northern Alberta. RCMP say its officers received a report of the collision on Highway 43, near the junction of Highway 32, in Whitecourt, which is located about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.