The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is releasing its report outlining the key dangers of Bill C-11, the cornerstone of the federal government’s internet regulation agenda. The report was written with the advice and input of Dr. Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa. 

“Bill C-11 undermines Canadians right to express themselves and watch what they want online and that makes it harder to hold the government to account,” said CTF Ontario Director Jay Goldberg. “The government is trying to ram through this dangerous legislation without proper debate or real consideration of the major accountability concerns associated with this bill.”

Contrary to the government’s assertions, the report notes that Bill C-11 hands the CRTC the power to regulate user generated content online, ranging from TikTok videos to YouTube posts.

“The government has consistently claimed that user generated content will not be regulated under Bill C-11, but the text of the bill and the chair of the CRTC both say otherwise,” said Goldberg. “Bill C-11 will hand unelected bureaucrats the power to influence what we say and see online, including on social media.”

As the report notes, Bill C-11 also represents a very dangerous precedent for the future. Under the bill, government bureaucrats are given the power to prioritize what Canadians see online based on whether it qualifies as Canadian content. But allowing bureaucrats to push some content over others potentially sets the stage for the government to use those same tools for other means.

“The Trudeau government says the CRTC will only have the power to filter and prioritize what we see online based on whether the content qualifies as Canadian, but that opens a pandora’s box,” said Goldberg. “These powers could easily be repurposed in the future for other means, including quieting the government’s critics.”

The full report can be accessed HERE.