“I want the member to explain how we can change the structure of this bill so he will support it.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member from Edmonton for his thoughtful reply. I am genuinely interested in getting to the gist of the matter. I would like to give him the opportunity to expand a bit more on the architecture that he thinks would be acceptable to gain his support for the bill. The architecture could be presented either here in the House or at committee.”

“This bill is about protecting children. Regulating social media, AI, and chatbots is a good thing. I want us to send this bill to committee to work out the details. I ask the member if he agrees with the main idea of the bill, and what he thinks about creating a commission to hold these tech companies accountable.”

“Madam Speaker, put very simply, this legislation is all about protecting our children. I think everyone in the House recognizes the value of that. Putting in regulations that would ultimately deal with social media services, AI, chatbots and so forth is a good thing. I believe the member would concur with that. There has been some misinformation. If we take a look at pornography, it is being dealt with in a very limiting way to protect the interests of children. There are also age verification issues within that. Would the member not recognize that the principle of the legislation is sound and that we need to get it to committee stage, where a lot of the details could be fleshed out? In particular, I am a big advocate of the commission. I think the commission is one of the ways in which we could see an enforcement of the regulations to hold these services and programmers to account. I would like his thoughts on that specifically.”

“I want the member to clarify his position. Does he want to ban social media for everyone under 16, or does he want social media companies to block harmful content so young people can still use the platforms safely?”

“Madam Speaker, I have heard my hon. colleagues mention several times, with a bit of fence-sitting, the question of whether the bill constitutes an age ban for young Canadians under 16. I am curious if the member is able to clarify that. In his view, would it be preferable to have a universal ban for Canadians under 16 on social media platforms, or would it be preferable to have social media platforms fix their systems such that there would be limitations on age-inappropriate content and young Canadians could safely use those platforms, given some of the benefits that we know exist? Which of those two options would the member prefer? I cannot tell based on his remarks this evening.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It stops anyone under 16 from having a social media account unless the platform is proven safe. It also makes tech companies quickly remove harmful content, like child abuse and private pictures shared without consent, or face big fines. Our kids are facing rising mental health problems and online exploitation. Social media companies make money from our children, and they must be forced to keep them safe.”

“Madam Speaker, the digital world now occupies an essential place in the lives of Canadians. It allows us to communicate, stay informed, learn and stay in touch with the people close to us. However, those opportunities also come with risks that we can no longer ignore. Today, children are accessing social media at increasingly younger ages, sometimes without their parents being fully aware. In a few clicks, a child can create an account, start using a platform and become exposed to harmful content while leaving his or her personal data behind. In this environment, we have to wonder whether we are doing enough to protect our young people. I had a chance to consult with the people of Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie to better understand their concerns about these bills. During our conversations, child protection was front and centre, especially in terms of the negative effects of social media. These discussions reminded me that this issue extends far beyond technology. It concerns our families, our schools, our communities and the health of the next generation. Parents want their children to reap the benefits of the digital world without being exposed to risks they are not yet able to recognize or manage on their own. As parliamentarians, we have a duty to listen and respond to their concerns. The data presented in connection with this bill are concerning. According to the available data, over the past decade, depression has doubled and anxiety has quadrupled among young Canadians aged 15 to 24. Research also shows that young people who have been victimized online report three times more suicidal thoughts. These numbers should make us think long and hard about the environment in which our young people are growing up. It is important to recognize that mental health is influenced by many factors. Social media cannot be held responsible for all the problems young people face. However, when the risks associated with digital spaces compound the challenges that teenagers already face, we cannot afford to look the other way. According to the data, Canadian police recorded 19,516 incidents of online child sexual exploitation in 2023. That is 59% higher than in 2022. Behind these numbers are victims, families and lives that have been profoundly disrupted. These numbers illustrate the scale of the challenge before us. They demonstrate why digital safety must be regarded as a collective responsibility and why our responses must keep pace with evolving risks. That is precisely why this bill represents a significant step forward. It proposes a shift from a primarily reactive approach to a more preventive one, in which platforms must assess the risks associated with their services and take measures to mitigate them. First, tech companies must be held accountable. This bill therefore requires the services in question to regularly assess certain risks associated with their operations, make changes to their design to minimize harm and implement clear reporting mechanisms. It also provides for the publication of digital safety plans to help Canadians better understand the risks inherent to these platforms and the measures taken to address them. This transparency is essential. Second, the bill proposes to strengthen the protection of children. It prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from owning a social media account, subject to exemptions for platforms that can demonstrate that their services are sufficiently safe for our young people. This approach is based on an important principle, specifically that protection must be built into the design of the services rather than simply added once a problem has emerged. At that age, young people are going through a critical stage of their development. Their identity is taking shape, their social relationships are becoming increasingly important, and their ability to cope with certain pressures continues to evolve. Repeated exposure to bullying, harmful content and mechanisms that encourage excessive use can pose an additional risk. Protecting young people does not mean denying their ability to think or make decisions. It means recognizing that the environment they grow in has to take their age and developmental stage into account. It is not just a matter of setting an age limit. It is also about encouraging companies to do more to create safer digital spaces. The bill provides for expedited procedures to make certain content inaccessible, particularly content that sexually victimizes children or survivors, as well as intimate images shared without consent. When such content circulates online, every share can prolong a victim’s suffering. Swift action can help limit its spread and prevent the affected person from being victimized again. Our policies must be able to respond to today’s risks while taking into account that technologies will continue to evolve. Some people may wonder whether these measures might infringe on freedom of expression or privacy. The answer is no. These concerns deserve a serious response. Freedom of expression is essential to our democracy. Canadians must be able to express their opinions, criticize the government, debate social issues and freely participate in public life. The bill is not intended to suppress legitimate debate or ordinary conversations. It targets specific categories of harmful content, particularly the sexual exploitation of children, the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, the bullying of children and any content that incites violence. Protecting young people and preserving freedom of expression should not be seen as opposing objectives. We can preserve the right to debate while requiring that businesses take action against serious harm. Privacy protections are just as essential. Age verification mechanisms must be implemented responsibly, with guarantees regarding the collection, use and destruction of personal data. The goal must be to protect young people, not create new risks to their privacy. To ensure obligations are met, the bill also establishes an independent digital safety commission. Among its responsibilities, the commission would review platforms’ safety plans, assess their age-verification mechanisms, support victims and ensure that platforms meet their obligations. It would also have the authority to impose financial penalties on platforms that fail to comply with the law. Under the proposed framework, these penalties could amount to up to 3% of a platform’s global revenue. This is important because obligations must be backed by credible enforcement mechanisms. I would now like to return to the consultations I had the opportunity to conduct with the people of Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie. The concerns raised by constituents remind us that the decisions we make here in the House of Commons have real consequences for families across the country. We must show them that we are prepared to act, not only when harm occurs, but also before it happens. We must ensure that platforms take responsibility, that victims have access to support and that parents are not left to navigate systems over which they have little or no control. Prevention, digital education, support for families and work with specialized organizations will remain vital, but we cannot use the fact that we are doing those things as an excuse not to take action. Maintaining the status quo is not enough when risks are increasing, technology is changing and children continue to be exposed to preventable harm. We therefore have the responsibility to adapt our laws to address these challenges. We have the responsibility to ensure that platforms that profit from these young people also help keep them safe. Above all, we have the responsibility to place the well-being of our young people at the heart of our decisions. This bill gives us an opportunity to recognize that just because our children are at home or at school does not necessarily mean that they are safe. We also need to make sure that they are safe in the digital world. By enhancing prevention, demanding greater transparency and accountability from platforms, expediting the removal of some particularly harmful content and establishing independent oversight, we can help create a safer digital environment. We must act with determination but also with discernment by protecting freedom of expression and privacy, which are at the heart of our democracy. Young people deserve to be able to learn, communicate and grow without being left alone to navigate risks that businesses have the means to prevent. That is our responsibility to our families, communities and future generations. I want to thank the people of Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie for speaking with me and sharing their concerns. They remind why this work is necessary. As young parents, we have a responsibility to keep our children, youth and communities safe. This bill is an important milestone for the community that we represent here in the House. We may not be able to overcome every challenge that the digital world creates, but we can choose to protect the most vulnerable among us more effectively. When it comes to our children’s safety, we have a duty to act.”

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  “The bill would address these gaps by clarifying that non-consensual distribution of intimate images includes realistic deepfakes, as well as criminalizing threats to distribute such material and increasing penalties for those offences.”

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“We are working late tonight because we care about keeping children safe online. This bill does not ban platforms outright. Instead, platforms can be exempt if they show an independent group a strong plan to protect kids from harm. I think this is the right approach. I want to know what my colleague thinks of it.”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague gave an excellent speech. He touched on a number of the key points in this bill. The reason we are still here tonight at this late hour is that we care deeply about protecting our children online. I would like to know his opinion of the bill’s architecture. Rather than imposing an outright ban, the bill allows platforms to be exempted if they can demonstrate that they have a rigorous safety plan, which would be assessed by an independent commission. That safety plan must show how children will be prevented from being exposed to harmful content. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on that approach. In my opinion, it was the right approach to take.”

“I want this bill to pass. It stops online harm without banning platforms by making companies follow safety rules. It will keep young people safer on the internet and reassure parents.”

“Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. I do agree with my colleague’s comment. This bill is intended to prevent harm. It also enables online companies to structure their operations to comply with the Government of Canada’s framework. Once this bill is passed, young people who go online will be exposed to a much safer digital environment with stronger safeguards. Young people will be in a safer environment, and parents will have greater confidence that their government is acting responsibly.”

“That was a great speech. You said you talked to people in your community. Did you get the chance to speak with any families or young people about this online safety bill?”

“Mr. Speaker, I thought my colleague’s intervention was very detailed and a really good analysis of Bill C-34. He mentioned he had the opportunity to talk to people in his community and I want to know if he had the opportunity to speak to any families or young people about the implications of this proposed legislation.”

“I talked to parents in my riding about this bill. They want these rules because it will protect children's mental health from shared private videos and pictures.”

“Mr. Speaker, that question is very much like one that a parent asked me recently when I was at the first meeting about this bill in Saint‑Basile‑le‑Grand. The parents were very pleased that we were able to meet with them. They made it clear that it was time for Canada to act and that we had made the right decision. Parents shared their concerns with us. In no uncertain terms, they called for regulation. They feel this bill will address mental health concerns by providing much more robust protection against unauthorized images and the proliferation of intimate videos.”

“Can my colleague explain how this bill makes platforms responsible for online safety, instead of leaving it up to users?”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague, as well as the people of Mont‑Saint‑Bruno—L’Acadie on having him as their member of Parliament. Can my colleague explain to the House how this bill will require the platforms to take responsibility for digital security rather than leaving it up to users to protect themselves?”

“This bill holds social media companies accountable. If they do not follow the rules, a new commission will fine them 3%.”

“Mr. Speaker, this bill is not going to impose bans without consequences. These companies know that. We have included penalties of 3% if they fail to reliably implement everything contained in this bill. There will be 3% penalties. This bill requires accountability. We take comfort in the fact that if companies fail to comply with or respect this bill, they will be penalized by the commission that will be established.”

“Parents cannot watch their children all the time. We expect kids to be safe at school and in other public places, and they should be safe online too. I want rules that protect children on social media, and I want my colleague to speak more about this.”

“Mr. Speaker, as my colleague explained, parents cannot monitor their children 24-7. In various settings in real life, we have certain expectations regarding the protection of children, whether at school, in community organizations or in different institutions. When we leave our children in these settings, we expect them to be safe. Today, the virtual world is playing an increasingly important role in our everyday lives. It is a fact that children spend time in these virtual spaces. That is why I think it is important to put certain regulations in place to ensure the safety of our children when they use platforms like social media. I would like my colleague to talk a bit more about that.”

“I want this bill passed to keep children safe online and prevent harm before it happens. It will hold companies accountable by fining them up to 3% of their global revenue if they do not protect kids.”

“Mr. Speaker, as I said very clearly in my speech, through this bill, we must show them that we are prepared to take action not only when harm occurs, but also before it occurs. This bill is not only preventative. It is also coupled with corporate accountability. As I said in my speech, children are not safe only at home and at school. When they leave those settings, they are exposed to the digital world. We need to make sure that our children are protected and safe in that world. If they are not, companies will be held accountable, and their fees could amount to 3% of global revenues under the provisions of the bill.”

“Why is it important to create an independent digital safety commission? Why is this a step forward?”

“Mr. Speaker, quickly, why is it important to establish an independent digital safety commission? Why is this a step forward, according to my colleague?”

“I support this bill because it creates an independent commission to enforce the rules. It will check how companies verify users' identities. Companies that break the law will face a 3% penalty.”

“Mr. Speaker, one of the things I like in this bill is that the commission will ensure that the provisions are applied and enforced. This is an independent commission that will closely monitor identity verification and ensure that the law is enforced. If the law is not obeyed, companies will be held liable and subject to a 3% penalty.”

“Can my colleague explain how the new safety commission will watch these platforms, make sure they follow the rules, and hold them accountable if they do not?”

“Mr. Speaker, I again commend my colleague. Can he explain how the new digital safety commission of Canada will enable us to better monitor platforms, ensure that they meet their obligations and hold them accountable if they fail to do so?”

“This bill creates an independent commission to watch online companies and punish those that break the rules. The government will not be able to interfere with its decisions.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. The commission bolsters the credibility of this bill or the future act. It will prevent any interference from the Government of Canada when it comes to decisions related to the applicability of the bill. The commission will have free rein to monitor these digital companies and take action if they fail to comply with the provisions set out in this bill. As I said earlier, non-compliant companies will be subject to the measures set out in this bill’s accountability framework.”

“Everyone in our society has a role in protecting children. As a father, what advice does the member have on how to prepare young people for changes in technology?”

“Mr. Speaker, we all have a role to play, as members of society and of organizations, faith groups, not-for-profits and community-based groups, in making sure that we protect our children. Outside of this legislation, I know that my hon. colleague is a father. I am a father. Does he have any advice for people within his constituency, but also for Canadians, on how to best prepare young people for the evolution of technology?”

“Mental health problems come from many things. We cannot blame social media for every problem young people face. As parents and leaders, we must look at all the online risks and help young people with the daily challenges they already face.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. As I said in my speech, it is important to recognize that mental health is influenced by many factors. Social media cannot be held responsible for all the problems young people face. As parents, as elected officials, we must assess all of the risks associated with digital spaces and ensure that the challenges that young people are already facing are dealt with on a daily basis.”

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“My colleague said he spoke with people in his riding. What did parents tell him during those talks?”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague said that he spoke with constituents in his riding. Can he tell us more about the response from parents? What feedback did he receive in those discussions?”

“I held a meeting in my riding about these bills. Many parents and local officials came, and they want us to pass these bills quickly.”

“Mr. Speaker, that was the first event I held in my riding this year in relation to the two bills. I am talking about Bill C‑36 and Bill C‑34. I was surprised by the response I received from my constituents when I launched the call to consult the people of Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie. The response from parents was overwhelming. I even had some other local elected officials show up to share their point of view and explain why it is important to quickly implement these bills.”