Monday, May 4, 2026
ADVT 
National

Government to bring forward online harms bill, AI minister says

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Jan, 2026 11:46 AM
  • Government to bring forward online harms bill, AI minister says

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon says the federal government is working on online harms legislation.

Solomon says Culture Minister Marc Miller will bring that bill forward.

The bill would be separate from privacy legislation Solomon will introduce, and from a justice bill the government tabled last year that includes elements criminalizing some deepfakes.

The Liberal government introduced the Online Harms Act in 2024, which would have imposed new requirements on social media companies and created an online regulator, but the bill never became law.

Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Liberals initially signalled they would not bring the bill back in the same form, but would instead tackle aspects of online harms in other legislation.

Solomon’s comments follow calls from women and children’s advocates to bring back the defunct bill, and after a report in the Globe and Mail said an upcoming online harms bill could include a social media ban for children under 14.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

MORE National ARTICLES

Two youths charged with manslaughter after man dies in Alberta house fire

Two youths charged with manslaughter after man dies in Alberta house fire
RCMP say they responded to the fire in Wetaskiwin, a city south of Edmonton, in December.

Two youths charged with manslaughter after man dies in Alberta house fire

B.C. man says son conceived in residential school abuse, both sue church

B.C. man says son conceived in residential school abuse, both sue church
The lawsuit says the father was 14 years old when he was victimized by a school supervisor in 1968, and he settled a lawsuit with the church in 2008 over the alleged sexual assault at the school on Cormorant Island, northeast of Vancouver Island. 

B.C. man says son conceived in residential school abuse, both sue church

Surrey Fusion Festival wins major awards two years in a row

Surrey Fusion Festival wins major awards two years in a row
Festival receives 2025 Gala Award for Most Outstanding Festival and ILEA Esprit Award for Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative.

Surrey Fusion Festival wins major awards two years in a row

Report says all B.C. events should get risk review, in wake of festival tragedy

Report says all B.C. events should get risk review, in wake of festival tragedy
British Columbia's minister of state for community safety said pursuing that sense of security was "the foundation" of a report he released Wednesday making six recommendations on improving safety for community events in the wake of the April 26 attack on Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival, that killed 11 people and injured dozens more.

Report says all B.C. events should get risk review, in wake of festival tragedy

Canada Infrastructure Bank set to fall well short of 2028 investment target: PBO

Canada Infrastructure Bank set to fall well short of 2028 investment target: PBO
In a new report, the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer says the infrastructure bank is on track to disburse $14.9 billion by 2027/28 — well below its $35-billion goal.

Canada Infrastructure Bank set to fall well short of 2028 investment target: PBO

Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet becomes first woman to head the RCAF

Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet becomes first woman to head the RCAF
She took the reins from Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny at a change-of-command ceremony, presided over by the Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, in Ottawa today.

Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet becomes first woman to head the RCAF