Canadian Justice Minister Arif Virani declares passing online harms bill is ‘an absolute priority’
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‘We’ve had attacks this weekend in Toronto. We’ve had shootings at schools in Quebec,’ said Virani, apparently referring to recent gunfire outside Jewish schools in Montreal and to assaults on Ontario Muslims.
(LifeSiteNews) — Canada’s Justice Minister Arif Virani is citing growing tensions in Canada to push legislation restricting free speech by censoring so-called “online harms.”
Prior to a November 21st Cabinet meeting, Virani told media that it is clear legislation is needed to ban certain internet content given the shootings and attacks committed in Canada since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. He failed to provide details regarding what would be censored.
“I think what we’ve been hearing from communities is that, given the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the online hatred is spreading repeatedly online and it’s manifesting in terms of actual violence in Canada,” he said.
“We’ve had attacks this weekend in Toronto. We’ve had shootings at schools in Quebec,” Virani continued, apparently referring to recent gunfire outside Jewish schools in Montreal and to assaults on Ontario Muslims.
In recent weeks, Jewish schools in Canada have increasingly become targets for pro-Palestine protestors. On November 12, Montreal’s Yeshiva Gedola school was fired upon for the second time. In early November, both this school and another Jewish school pleaded for help after shots were fired at their buildings after hours. Last week, police investigated a bomb threat at Toronto’s Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy.
There have also been recent anti-Muslim attacks in Toronto. Last week 28-year-old Chandler Marshall allegedly assaulted worshippers in a Toronto mosque, a taxi driver, and a woman wearing distinctive Islamic dress.
“That’s not what we need in this country, and I think an online hate bill can help to address that,” Virani declared.
“It is an absolute priority for me and many other Cabinet ministers,” he said.
Virani, who was recently appointed to his position by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, did not say when the bill would be passed but told media it would happen “as soon as possible.”