Élisabeth Brière, Sherbrooke
“I want the House to pass this bill quickly to keep young people safe online. Social media is hurting children's mental health, and police reports of online sexual abuse against kids are rising fast. Other countries have already banned social media for kids under 16, and doctors and experts agree Canada needs to act now.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for this opportunity to speak to a topic that matters so much to me and to our fellow citizens. The digital safety act is not a response to some naive or made-up concern, nor are the proposals within it based on wishful thinking. It addresses a need that Canadians have been telling us about for some time. The whole world must contend with new realities, and it is time for our country to evolve and adapt to those realities. There is no doubt these challenges will keep getting bigger as technology evolves and as the people we represent require protection from new threats. Let us wait no longer. Let us show that Canada knows how to evolve with the times. Let us also demonstrate, once again, what Canada is made of: We act for the good of all, including our young people. Other G7 countries have passed legislation in response to this threat targeting our young people. For example, Australia has already enacted legislation raising the minimum age for social media access to 16. Here in this country, all Canadians, including parents and guardians, expect us to take action too. Just as concerns about teenagers’ access to social media platforms are well founded, the age proposed to allow them to access these platforms is also not random. It has been shown that the digital landscape is not safe for children under 16. For these children, the scales are more likely to tip towards harms than benefits. Setting a limit for children under 16 is consistent with scientific research, as well as with what other jurisdictions around the world have done. Let me share some statistics. In 2023, Canadian police recorded 19,516 incidents of online child sexual exploitation over the course of the year. Again, there were 19,516 incidents of online child sexual exploitation over a 12‑month period in our country. That amounts to more than two cases per hour, every hour, over one year. That is unacceptable and alarming. This was a 59% increase over the previous year and a 500% increase over just a few years. We can therefore conclude that the longer we wait before taking real and effective action to put an end to this type of appalling behaviour, the more it will increase exponentially. We must work together to address this threat, because there is still time. Bill C-34 is not a quick fix or a band-aid solution. Bill C‑34 is not just about demonstrating that we are fulfilling our duty to protect Canada’s young people. It is supported by many expert organizations, including the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Kids Help Phone and the youth advocacy sector. I would also note that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child encourages the protection of young people from information or material that is injurious to their well-being. Bill C‑34 will ensure that we are in compliance with international ethical standards. I would like to come back to some statistics. While social media cannot be blamed for everything, it is clear that its impact extends beyond physical safety of our kids, because it also has an impact on their mental health. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation have risen exponentially among young Canadians over the past year. I would like to reiterate some of the figures my colleagues have already highlighted. Among Canadians aged 15 to 24, rates of depression have doubled, while rates of anxiety have quadrupled. Without a robust bill such as Bill C-34, these statistics will continue to rise. These statistics represent the next generation of Canadians and the impact this has on their individual life paths. I do not have enough time today to provide all the statistics on this subject. For example, I did not mention that one in four young people between the ages of 12 and 17 in this country report having been cyber-bullied. One in four is a lot. We cannot allow this situation to keep getting worse. Instead, we should help young people experience this brief period of their lives in safety, as most of us had the opportunity to do, without being exposed to the same level of harm they face today. At the very least, the far more limited exposure many of us experienced likely spared us some of the dangers and mental health challenges. Now is the time to step up and demonstrate that we care about our children. I would also like to acknowledge my riding’s efforts in this regard. Sherbrooke is at the forefront of efforts to protect young people online. One notable local initiative was spearheaded by a group of law students at the Université de Sherbrooke. Last spring, they drafted a bill to address the harmful effects of excessive screen time on young people. Among other things, the bill would ban access to Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat for those under 16. During a visit to the legislative buildings in Quebec City, the students said that they specifically targeted these apps because they are addictive. They also drew parallels with the arguments that led to the prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for minors.”
Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for this opportunity to speak to a topic that matters so much to me and to our fellow citizens. The digital safety act is not a response to some naive or made-up concern, nor are the proposals within it based on wishful thinking. It addresses a need that Canadians have been telling us about for some time. The whole world must contend with new realities, and it is time for our country to evolve and adapt to those realities. There is no doubt these challenges will keep getting bigger as technology evolves and as the people we represent require protection from new threats. Let us wait no longer. Let us show that Canada knows how to evolve with the times. Let us also demonstrate, once again, what Canada is made of: We act for the good of all, including our young people. Other G7 countries have passed legislation in response to this threat targeting our young people. For example, Australia has already enacted legislation raising the minimum age for social media access to 16. Here in this country, all Canadians, including parents and guardians, expect us to take action too. Just as concerns about teenagers’ access to social media platforms are well founded, the age proposed to allow them to access these platforms is also not random. It has been shown that the digital landscape is not safe for children under 16. For these children, the scales are more likely to tip towards harms than benefits. Setting a limit for children under 16 is consistent with scientific research, as well as with what other jurisdictions around the world have done. Let me share some statistics. In 2023, Canadian police recorded 19,516 incidents of online child sexual exploitation over the course of the year. Again, there were 19,516 incidents of online child sexual exploitation over a 12‑month period in our country. That amounts to more than two cases per hour, every hour, over one year. That is unacceptable and alarming. This was a 59% increase over the previous year and a 500% increase over just a few years. We can therefore conclude that the longer we wait before taking real and effective action to put an end to this type of appalling behaviour, the more it will increase exponentially. We must work together to address this threat, because there is still time. Bill C-34 is not a quick fix or a band-aid solution. Bill C‑34 is not just about demonstrating that we are fulfilling our duty to protect Canada’s young people. It is supported by many expert organizations, including the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Kids Help Phone and the youth advocacy sector. I would also note that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child encourages the protection of young people from information or material that is injurious to their well-being. Bill C‑34 will ensure that we are in compliance with international ethical standards. I would like to come back to some statistics. While social media cannot be blamed for everything, it is clear that its impact extends beyond physical safety of our kids, because it also has an impact on their mental health. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation have risen exponentially among young Canadians over the past year. I would like to reiterate some of the figures my colleagues have already highlighted. Among Canadians aged 15 to 24, rates of depression have doubled, while rates of anxiety have quadrupled. Without a robust bill such as Bill C-34, these statistics will continue to rise. These statistics represent the next generation of Canadians and the impact this has on their individual life paths. I do not have enough time today to provide all the statistics on this subject. For example, I did not mention that one in four young people between the ages of 12 and 17 in this country report having been cyber-bullied. One in four is a lot. We cannot allow this situation to keep getting worse. Instead, we should help young people experience this brief period of their lives in safety, as most of us had the opportunity to do, without being exposed to the same level of harm they face today. At the very least, the far more limited exposure many of us experienced likely spared us some of the dangers and mental health challenges. Now is the time to step up and demonstrate that we care about our children. I would also like to acknowledge my riding’s efforts in this regard. Sherbrooke is at the forefront of efforts to protect young people online. One notable local initiative was spearheaded by a group of law students at the Université de Sherbrooke. Last spring, they drafted a bill to address the harmful effects of excessive screen time on young people. Among other things, the bill would ban access to Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat for those under 16. During a visit to the legislative buildings in Quebec City, the students said that they specifically targeted these apps because they are addictive. They also drew parallels with the arguments that led to the prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for minors.