Saturday, May 9, 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

Canadian Armed Forces says it's on track to meet this year's recruitment goal

Canadian Armed Forces says it's on track to meet this year's recruitment goal
More Canadians have expressed an interest in joining the military since U.S. President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20 — but the Canadian Armed Forces isn't attributing that spike to Trump and his talk of annexing Canada.

Canadian Armed Forces says it's on track to meet this year's recruitment goal

Second case of measles confirmed in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, linked to Thailand flight

Second case of measles confirmed in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, linked to Thailand flight
Health authorities in British Columbia have confirmed a second case of measles in the Lower Mainland, this time in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. Vancouver Coastal Health says in a release that the infected person travelled to Southeast Asia in the same party as a Fraser Health region resident who tested positive earlier this month.

Second case of measles confirmed in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, linked to Thailand flight

B.C. tree fruit growers get new $10M fund from the province

B.C. tree fruit growers get new $10M fund from the province
British Columbia has launched a new $10 million fund to help tree fruit farmers facing proposed U.S. tariffs on the heels of years of devastatingly low crop yields. A statement from the Ministry of Agriculture says the money will be handed out as one-time payments to farmers and can be used to help with needs like tools, training, capital for farm improvement, farm debt repayment and farm wages.

B.C. tree fruit growers get new $10M fund from the province

Health Canada warns of unauthorized sex enhancement products seized from stores

Health Canada warns of unauthorized sex enhancement products seized from stores
Health Canada is warning people in at least three provinces against using unauthorized sexual enhancement products that may pose serious health risks.  The agency says it has seized various products from stores in New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario that have been found to contain "dangerous ingredients."

Health Canada warns of unauthorized sex enhancement products seized from stores

B.C. ends take-home safer supply of opioids to stop criminal diversion

B.C. ends take-home safer supply of opioids to stop criminal diversion
British Columbia's health minister has announced that the province is changing its safer-supply anti-addiction program to a witnessed model, in which users will be watched as they consume the drugs. Josie Osborne says the "significant" change to end the take-home model will be difficult for some, but is designed to reduce the criminal diversion of prescribed alternatives to illicit street drugs. 

B.C. ends take-home safer supply of opioids to stop criminal diversion

Trudeau says democracy at stake as Ukraine kept away from peace talks

Trudeau says democracy at stake as Ukraine kept away from peace talks
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ukraine must have a seat at the table in any peace talks, as Washington and Moscow discuss ways to end the war. Trudeau says Canada and most of its allies insist that Ukraine must be part of any discussions on ending Russia's war, which started three years ago.

Trudeau says democracy at stake as Ukraine kept away from peace talks