Why is it a mistake? Why is it a disgrace?
1. The Cons had no election mandate to do what they did.
2. In fact, until they got a majority, they’d always defended the section.
3. It now means our only tool to fight online hate is the Criminal Code. Criminalizing all hateful speech is going way too far.
4. It means we are the one of the only Western democracies without a cheap, non-criminal means to combat online hate.
5. It leaves minorities without any meaningful recourse when facing hate. Will they take the law in their own hands?
They might, and it’d be hard to blame them. Canada has declared you are now free to say whatever hateful thing you want about someone’s race, ethnicity, orientation, disability or religion online.
Welcome to Stephen Harper’s Canada. It’s ugly and about to get uglier.
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