“I want the House to pass this bill. Big tech companies choose profits over safety and cannot be trusted to fix themselves. This bill creates a commission to fine companies that do not protect users, and it sets age limits on social media to keep children safe.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise to speak to Bill C-34 today. I will be sharing my time with the member for Winnipeg South Centre. This bill is long overdue. This is not the first time this House has tried to legislate to protect children in particular from online harms, but hopefully this time we will get it done. Based on the speeches I have heard from colleagues across parties in the House, it seems like there is finally consensus to protect our children online. When I was preparing for this speech last night, I stumbled across an article in the New York Times. It gave me pause and crystallized for me why it is so crucial that we put this legislation forward and get it right. The article was about a young woman living in the United States who had epilepsy and decided to talk about her medication with ChatGPT. What ended up happening is that ChatGPT counselled her on how to reduce her epilepsy medication and hide it from her doctor, which ultimately led to her death. Bill C-34 deals with chatbots. It deals with AI. We need to ensure that there are protections in place. There are vulnerable people and children using these tools in a way that is harmful to them. This woman’s story is an absolute tragedy and is something that I think all of us want to ensure does not happen again. What it crystallizes for me is that, left to their own devices, these companies cannot be trusted to regulate themselves. We have only to look at the whistle-blowers from Meta, Frances Haugen and Arturo Béjar, who both testified in front of Congress in the United States and said that Facebook and Meta have knowingly not put forward safety mechanisms because they want increased profits. We have heard that when it comes to protecting children, there are studies at Meta showing that young women are particularly vulnerable when it comes to bullying, body image issues and eating disorders, yet consistently they choose profits over safety. We have all heard stories from constituents and people across this country whose children have experienced online harms. Unfortunately, there are cases like that of Amanda Todd, who was so severely cyber-bullied that she ended up taking her own life. We have a responsibility to act in this House. I had the opportunity to meet with her mom, Carol, who has met with many of us in this place over the years and has been asking all of us, as members of Parliament, to act responsibly. Bill C-34 would do just that. It is there to protect our children from online harms and would come forward with a digital safety commission that would make sure the big tech companies are putting in safety by design as their principle. It would have real teeth and a real ability to fine companies that do not uphold their obligations to protect our children. If these things were happening in a playground, it would be unacceptable and the police would be called. There is no reason for these harms to be allowed online. The companies and people who perpetuate them need to be held to account. What I like about the digital safety commission is that it is based on principles, values, laws and protecting our children, but it is flexible for the future. When I hear colleagues say that we need to write these laws right now, I challenge them on it: Do we know what those harms are going to be five, 10 or 15 years from now? I am going to date myself a bit, because my first year of university was the first year that Facebook came out. In 2006, nobody knew that Facebook would become Meta. Nobody knew that Meta would effectively become the Internet in some parts of the world and have the kind of reach and control it does now. We do not know what the next thing is going to be. We do not know exactly how ChatGPT, Claude or any of these AI companies are going to transform our experiences and what existing or new harms they could potentially cause. I am not saying there is nothing good about any of these things. There certainly are. There are ways people connect that are great, but we have an obligation as members of Parliament, as legislators, as citizens, some of us as parents, to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect our children, the children of this country and people in this country from those potential harms. What would be good about the digital safety commission is that, for the first time, we would not just be legislating in the rear-view mirror; it would actually be forward-thinking and would give Canadians the tools to ensure that we can protect against some of these harms. Bill C-34 would also impose an age limit when it comes to social media. In her testimony to Congress, Frances Haugen suggested that, in fact, platforms like Instagram should raise their minimum age from 13 to 16, or even to 18. I think this is a really good step. We know there are age limits for a number of things in this country, whether it is drinking, voting, driving, or being able to buy cigarettes or cannabis. There are always people who are going to get around those age limits, but that does not mean it is not the right thing to do. It gives parents the tools to also help protect their children. A journal for the Canadian Medical Association talks about the fact that when children have constant access to online content, their levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation increase. Just reducing that from three hours a day to one hour a day has incredible benefits for their mental health. It is why the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Mental Health Association, organizations like Unplugged and Raise the Age, Children First Canada and a wide range of pediatricians, etc. support Bill C-34, as it is about providing opportunities for healthy and safe lives for our kids. AI is changing the way in which we interact, just as social media has done over the past 20 years. We need to ensure that, as Canadians, we can take control of what is happening in the online world and have the tools to enforce protections for our children. This is important work that would build off legislation like Bill C-16, which already made it illegal to share content like deepfakes, revenge porn, etc. We need to make sure we are protecting everyone from an image that can go around the world in seconds. As a mom of two young kids who are not quite at the age where they would be engaged in social media, I cannot say how much I want this to pass right now. I talk to young people who tell me about their anxiety, their depression, the challenges and the bullying. They cannot turn social media off. When I was younger, maybe some of these things existed in magazines and we had these kinds of images, but I could put that down. I could put that away, and I could walk outside. When we are connected all the time, there is no escape. Bill C-34 would not solve all the problems. There are always going to be challenges, but this is such an important piece of legislation at this moment in time to do what we can to protect our children, protect future generations and make social media and the Internet a safer place for everyone.”

“Can the member explain why the new digital safety group needs the power to adapt to new technology?”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague pointed to the flexibility around the digital safety commission. I wonder if she could expound on why it would be important for the digital safety commission to have the powers and the flexibility it needs to adapt to new and emerging technologies.”

“Technology changes faster than laws can keep up, and we cannot predict every future harm. We need a digital safety commission so we can respond quickly when new online harms appear.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is exactly as I said in my speech. We do not really know what is coming next. We did not predict 20 years ago so many of the harms we are seeing happen right now, and we do not have the laws in place to deal with them. If we are constantly trying to keep up with technology, we are always going to fall behind. Technology is always going to be ahead of what we are legislating, so having a digital safety commission would enable us to have the flexibility and the agility to respond, hopefully in real time, but if not, hopefully quickly enough to actually deal with these harms as they emerge.”

“We can learn from other countries like Australia to make this bill better. I worry about checking people's ages online. We need to talk to experts so we can protect people's privacy and personal information.”

“Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. I think we have the advantage of being able to learn from Australia’s experience. We have introduced this bill, but we will also have the opportunity to observe what is happening elsewhere and make improvements. Personally, I have some concerns about age verification technology. Showing a piece of ID is something we have to do in many everyday situations, but we do not do it online. I think we need to talk about it, but we also need to listen to the experts to ensure that privacy and personal information are protected.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. As a former teacher and principal, I know young people face serious dangers online. Parents, students, and child safety experts are asking us to act. This bill will put limits on social media and fine platforms that fail to keep kids safe.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of those I represent in Winnipeg South Centre. I do want to begin by thanking my colleague from Burlington for an exceptional speech. She did a great job of providing a framework and a foundational conceptualization of what we are facing here and why this piece of legislation is so necessary. I have talked often, when I have had the honour of rising in the House, about my time as a teacher. I started as a grade 6 French immersion educator at École Robert H. Smith. I can still remember at 3:30 on the first day of school putting my head down on the table and wondering how I was going to get through it. It turns out I did, and I had the privilege of going on from there to be a high school teacher and a high school principal. It was through about a decade in the public education system that I got to know what mattered to kids, what they were interested in, what they were curious about, what challenges they faced and their opportunities. Of course, by extension, I had the privilege of being able to work with so many of their families as well. I stand here today as well, as a very proud uncle, not only to my own niece through blood, but to so many of my friends’ children, many of whom are growing up now, in an age that looks very different than it did when my colleague from Burlington and I were young. That reality is one that is constantly shifting. The nature of the threats faced in our society, particularly by young people, are more dynamic, they are more sophisticated, and they are more targeted and complicated than they were in the past. By virtue of changes in technology, and the emergence of social media and the strong role that it is playing in our society, we have had to re-evaluate the safeguards that we must put in place as a society to ensure that, while we have access to these incredible technologies that have the potential in so many ways to do good, we are aware of the harms that they can create and are creating. I am mindful of an indigenous scholar named Dr. Martin Brokenleg, whom I studied a bit when I was the principal of a school called Maples Met in Winnipeg. The circle of courage is based on these four ideas of what is important in the lives of young people. They are focusing on mastery, generosity, independence and belonging. In relation to what we are talking about here, it is independence and belonging that are so critical in the frame of Bill C-34. Young people want to belong, and at the same time, they want to be independent. Anyone who is around young people, particularly teenagers, will know that there comes a time when they no longer want mom or dad to drop them off at school in sight of kids, or a time when they want to be able to go to the mall alone with their friends, and they want to have that independence. However, there is a variety of different things out there in the online world in particular, that we ought to be mindful of when we are engaging with young people about that independence that they are seeking. I can remember a superintendent of mine once telling the story of a fight that broke out in the school, and although in the early moments of the fight the kids were all cheering and doing what young teenagers often do when there is a physical altercation, which was ego and bravado taking place, when the principal finally did show up, the students asked what took them so long. In other words, it happens often with young people that, at the same time as they are holding our hand tightly to tell us to stay, they are pulling away from us. This reminds me of the tension that exists in terms of the responsibilities that we have as adults and as lawmakers in our country to provide the guidance, support and love that is necessary for young people to grow and develop into independent young people, while at the same time ensuring that we are responsible for keeping them safe. This brings me to what we have heard in relation to some of the challenges that are ongoing right now vis-à-vis social media and online platforms. I have received calls from countless parents, men and women, regardless of the demographic that they may represent socio-economically, who have called to say that they are scared for what their children are exposed to online, and that they expect the government is going to do something about it. I have received calls from students, many of whom I have met with in the hallways, libraries and theatres of their schools, who have talked about their resistance to social media and to a variety of other online platforms that they feel are actually taking away from the authenticity of their lived experiences. I have heard from experts. Just this past weekend in my office, I was really proud to welcome an expert panel of unbelievable community members to talk about the different challenges we face. I want to take the opportunity to give credit to Dr. Michelle Warren, a clinical psychologist who was there and who spoke about the work she does with young people in particular who are facing anxiety and depression by virtue of some of the harmful things they are exposed to online. There was also Monique St. Germain, who represents the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, which is located in my riding and is something I am very proud of. It is a world leader in eradicating the distribution of illegal and damaging sexual images of children online. It is fully behind the government in terms of its support for the measures embedded in Bill C-34. I was also joined by Cordella Friesen, who serves as the head of the YMCA in Winnipeg. They work with young people on a daily basis and were there to share stories they have heard from folks who use their services. Sharon Labossiere, Colleen Nelson and Laura Thomas are each great educators in their own right who took time to tell us about what they are seeing in schools and who reinforced the need for us to act. The question then becomes what we should do about this. We have heard the calls from parents, from young people and from experts that it is time for us to act. Bill C-34 would do this in a number of ways. One that has often been talked about in the context of this debate and outside the walls of the chamber has to do with placing limitations on social media. I know that there have been some criticisms of other jurisdictions, most noteworthy being Australia, that have taken some steps in order to limit the harms that are being caused by too much time online, and that there have been some instances where young people are finding ways around them. I think my colleague, the member for Burlington, did an excellent job of explaining that notwithstanding those challenges, which of course will evolve over time, they cannot alone be the justification for why we do not start to move forward today. I think ensuring that there is less time spent on these platforms for people at vulnerable ages is going to be very important. I will note that I come from a province that has put a policy in place to ban cellphone use in schools. I have heard overwhelmingly from teachers, principals, parents and young people that this has had a positive impact on their experience in school. I think there is something for us to take from that feedback and from those experiences in relation to Bill C-34. Bill C-34 is also about accountability that would lead to real penalties and that will hold accountable in the way they ought to be held accountable those who are responsible for designing and maintaining unsafe platforms online, which is to say that we would create a regulator. Of course, through a regulatory framework and ongoing dialogue in the chamber and beyond, after the passage, I hope, of this legislation, we would figure out exactly how that would come to be. The important piece is that there would be accountability. Social media platforms and other online platforms that care more about the bottom line than they do about the health, well-being and safety of our children would be held accountable. They would be held accountable not just through the proverbial slap on the wrist but through real financial and other lawful penalties that would send the very strong message that is necessary for them to understand we are serious. I am very proud to be part of a government that is putting forward a bill that would address these serious concerns at a moment in time where it is incumbent upon us, as the Parliament of this wonderful country, to take action that will keep our young people safe.”

“This bill is very important. We have talked with parents, children's groups, and mental health groups across Canada. Governments are also continuing to talk with each other. We are working on this bill now and will keep working on the rules that follow.”

“Mr. Speaker, this is an extremely important bill. There have been conversations across Canada, of course, with parents, with groups representing children and mental health, as well as other stakeholders that have something to say in this context. I cannot speak to which discussions took place between governments, but I certainly know that conversations are ongoing between governments. The people on our side, in the Government of Canada, are developing the bill here and will continue their efforts with the regulations to follow.”

“This bill helps parents and teachers instead of replacing them. Harmful content online shows why we need it. I want the member to share his thoughts on this as a former teacher.”

“Mr. Speaker, the member for Winnipeg South Centre brings a very interesting point of view, given his background as an educator and working with young people for as long as he has. It is important that this is not about replacing parents, or anything of this nature. It is something to support the current structure of parents and teachers. However, I believe the need for it, given how the Internet is, and the harmful content out there, is easily justified. Can the member provide his thoughts on that from a teacher’s perspective, possibly?”

“I support this bill. Young people need to make mistakes and learn from them, but they still need guidance from adults. This bill helps young people explore the world while keeping them safe.”

“Mr. Speaker, as I made reference to during my remarks, it is critically important we understand that young people need to go through experiences in life. It is very important, as they develop the skills for independence, that we allow opportunities for them to fall and to learn lessons, sometimes difficult ones, and then to get back up, but of course that has to be done with our love and support. One of the things I noticed in the years I spent in the public education system is that as much as young people feel as though they are capable of moving through the world on their own, they recognize the importance of having that love, support and guidance from the adults in their life, inclusive of their parents of course, but also their teachers, friends and others. This bill is a really important step in the right direction of ensuring that we find the balance between allowing young people to participate in the world around them and making sure we do so in a safe way.”

“This bill has real power because a new digital safety commission could fine companies and enforce the rules. I want my colleague to share his thoughts on why this commission is so important.”

“Mr. Speaker, one of the things that give the legislation teeth is the proposed digital safety commission that would have the power to give fines and make sure the regulations are in fact being enforced in many different ways. I am wondering if my colleague could provide his thoughts on the importance of having a commission, because it would actually provide action.”

“I support this bill to protect young people online. It must hold social media companies accountable. This law will make sure companies face real consequences if they break the rules.”

“Mr. Speaker, one thing the Province of Manitoba has done that I am fully supportive of is that it has created a body that can oversee disciplinary measures for educators. The person who heads that up goes by the name of Noni Classen. Where did she come from? She came from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. The whole reason the disciplinary board exists is for there to be accountability and for there to be real consequences when inappropriate or unacceptable actions are taken. I see this as no different. It is about protecting young people. However, if it is going to work, it has to be created in a way that ensures that there are consequences. I have full confidence, based on the way the legislation is currently written, and I am sure as the legislation will be strengthened throughout the legislative process, that we will land at a place that will ensure that if a social media company or other online platform is not abiding by the law, as it is written in Bill C-34, they would have a price to pay for that.”

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“We need to look after children first. The internet makes parenting harder now than it used to be, and parents need help. Does my colleague agree that parents need the government to set rules to help protect their kids?”

“Mr. Speaker, this is an important topic we are discussing today. I am a parent myself. I understand that we may sometimes disagree. In his recommendations, my colleague said that we should look after the parents first. I would say that we need to look after the children first. I have four children. My first was born when I was 20 years old, but the rules were not the same 31 years ago. I look at my son, who is 31 years old today and has three children of his own. When I see social media, I wonder what I would have done 31 years ago. Often, I see that parents need help. My colleague mentioned two polls. One was about parents and the other was about the government. I would argue that they were about both. Does my colleague not agree that parents need the government’s support in setting appropriate rules in order to help them do the best they can?”

“We all want to help parents. What specific tools can we give them right now that will actually work?”

“Mr. Speaker, I will be brief. I think that we are all here for the right reasons. We are all facing the same challenges. I also agree on the issue of how we can help parents. My colleague mentioned tools earlier. I would like him to elaborate on that. We have been talking non-stop this evening. Does my colleague have any specific ideas that could be effective and that could really help parents right away?”

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