OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) – A Liberal Party of Canada policy proposal which calls for online news “publications” whose sources cannot be “verified” to in effect be censored was passed by party members over the weekend, which a top Canadian internet analyst warned sets a “dangerous” precedent.
In total, Liberal Party members “passed and prioritized” 24 official party policies, in order of priority at its Party National Convention, which began Thursday and concluded Saturday in Ottawa.
Coming in at number 10 was a policy resolution titled “Combatting Disinformation in Canada,” which was sponsored by the Liberal Party of Canada (British Columbia).
As Catholics, we are taught that we must love our neighbour and treat every individual as a child of God, accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.
Parents make a clear choice when they decide that their children will attend a Catholic school. They rightly expect that trustees, principals, teachers all partners in education will ensure that Catholic teaching is presented, lived and infused in all that we do. In that regard, the appropriate symbol that represents our faith, and the inclusion and acceptance of others, is the cross, which is visible at the entrance of every Catholic school. It is the primary symbol of our Christian faith.
We have created this petition to express opposition of flying the pride flag at schools for the month of June. Our kids should not be forced to celebrate anyones sexuality, and a flag will do nothing to keep anyone more safe. Its nothing more than a symbol of sexual celebration, completely inappropriate.
Catholicism and parental rights are being threatened, and we will not allow teachers who are LGBTQ to influence our children.
We are not homophobes. We are trying to shield our children from any sexual ideologies, both gay and straight. Children are minors who have a right to a normal and innocent childhood. We are not STAKEHOLDERS. We are parents. EQUITY is not and will never be the same as EQUALITY. Inclusion means EVERYONE and the York Region Catholic District School Board & its Union members are infringing upon our religious beliefs by suffocating our children with woke political agendas & indoctrinations when they should be focusing on educating our kids!
We love all humans equally. Hate is the wrong word to describe parents feelings about the climate in schools today. Parents protesting the pride flag at school do not harbour any negative feelings towards the LGBTQ+ community. We do however feel that their rights seem to supersede everyone elses. We also believe that kids should never learn about sex at school and we condemn any classroom discussion or public display that encourages or promotes gender confusion and same sex lifestyles in a classroom setting. We also strongly condemn the nature of several library books that contain sensitive material on homosexuality and transgender issues in elementary school libraries. Similarly, we harbour no contempt for transgenders as individuals but their insistence on using female-only spaces is invasive.
The promotion of a pride sticker and the likelihood that a flag will go up in June at all schools suggests a particular political agenda, which warrants examination. Concern about alleged incidents of bullying directed at the LGBTQ community within schools has been raised. However when requesting specific information on the actual number of such reports, it was communicated that the data is currently confidential and not publicly available. Despite clarifying that only the number of incidents was desired, the same response was given.
The lack of transparency and information provided by the York Region Catholic District School Board concerning alleged incidents combined with these extreme campaigns using safe space stickers to promote political agendas, raises necessary questions about their motives. Despite facing opposition from relevant individuals, including the Archbishop of Toronto and Cardinal Collins, who have both explicitly expressed their disapproval of such displays, the union and its members have vehemently insisted the stickers remain.
We must stand up against this before the Board caves to the pressure of political correctness and decide to raise the pride flag too.
Please share this. We must get as many signatures as possible before May 20th so that we may present a united front at this months meeting with this petition in hand that will speak for itself and will represent all of us.
Thank you.
Sheree D
According to the Liberals’ “Disinformation” policy, Canada’s mainstream media “no longer employs as many reporters with extensive knowledge of particular subject areas,” and there is an increase in “disinformation” which is an “existential risk to humanity.”
Because of this, the Liberal party produced and passed two resolutions.
The first reads, “BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Liberal Party of Canada: Request the Government explore options to hold on-line information services accountable for the veracity of material published on their platforms and to limit publication only to material whose sources can be traced.”
The second resolution reads that the government “provide additional public funds to support advertisement-free news and information reporting by Canadian media through an arm’s-length non-partisan mechanism.”
Michael Geist serves as the research chair of internet and e-commerce law at the University of Ottawa and is critical of federal online censorship legislation. “If enacted, the policy would undermine freedom of the press and could even spark widespread censorship on Internet platforms,” Geist warned in a blog post Friday. “In addition, it passed a resolution to develop ‘truth in political advertising’ legislation to be administered by an oversight body.”
“There are legitimate concerns about the ‘truthiness’ of all political parties[’] communications, but political truth oversight bodies carries great risk and is unlikely to foster enhanced public trust.”
Journalists’ use of anonymous sources is a practice as old as the trade itself and is considered one of the hallmarks of the freedom of the press, to which Canadians have a right. Both independent and legacy media use such sources for reports.
‘The government’s current approach suggests that it believes the ends justify even potentially unconstitutional means’
Since coming to power in 2015, the federal Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pressed forward with internet legislation that critics have said will indeed curb Canadians’ freedom of expression.
Geist noted how the Trudeau Liberals’ push for regulation of the internet, and press, undermines the Canadian Constitution.
“There are real issues with disinformation, online hate, privacy, competition, and a host of other online concerns that require various forms of regulation. But the government’s current approach suggests that it believes the ends justify even potentially unconstitutional means,” he wrote.
“It sounds extreme, but the slippery slope that starts with media intervention expands to investigations into critics, truth oversight bodies, and restrictions on press freedoms.”
Geist noted that if Canadians are to be “honest with” themselves, they must see that extreme policies the Liberals are pushing for “is where we are today with current and future policies.”
Such policies “risk turning Canada into a dangerous model that more repressive regimes may cite with approval to justify their own anti-democratic measures,” cautioned Geist.
“I don’t know what else to say other than this feels like uncharted territory. It must stop.”
Last Thursday, the Trudeau Liberals passed a first-ever law that will regulate Canada’s internet, Bill C-11. However, the government said there are more laws to come.
Late last year, the Trudeau government decided to fast-track another content-regulation bill, C-18, by rushing it through the House of Commons. This Bill is also now before the Senate.
Should it become law, Bill C-18, titled the Online News Act, would have the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) create newsroom “ethics” guidelines.
These “guidelines” could potentially target independent news outlets that question government-approved narratives.
The fast-tracking of Bill C-18 comes despite it being blasted by critics as an attack on independent media, with some warning it could lead to the “death” of the free press in Canada.
According to the bill’s text, news outlets that are given the label of a “qualified Canadian journalism organization” could receive favorable rankings on Big Tech platforms and would even be entitled to “fair compensation” whenever their news content is shared on such sites.
Even Facebook has blasted the bill, warning the government it will lead to news content being inaccessible for Canadians.
As for Bill C-11, it will in effect force social media companies and others to promote more Canadian content but could also regulate user content as well.
In practice, Bill C-11 now mandates that the CRTC oversee regulating online content on platforms such as YouTube and Netflix to ensure that such platforms are promoting Canadian content in accordance with a variety of CRTC guidelines.
Due to the broad nature of the mandate, critics have said putting the law into practice could take years of back-and-forth debate.
Some of the bill’s most intense critics, such as Geist, have warned Bill C-11 could spell disaster for internet freedom for Canadians.