Lacking trust in government

A recent Abacus Data poll shows only 52 per cent of Canadians trust what the government says. The recent passing of Bill C-11 in the House of Commons Heritage Committee is a perfect example of why trust in our government is at an all-time low.

This bill gives a government entity immense regulatory scope over the internet. For obvious reasons, this bill has many concerned about government stepping into the territory of putting undue limits on freedom of expression.

As a result, the government has been inundated with information and submissions from experts and concerned content creators. You’d think the government would want to do everything in its power to make sure people are heard and get this bill right.

Instead, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez arbitrarily limited committee debate, allowing just six hours to debate over 150 amendments. In the end, only a few were actually debated, the rest were sent directly to a vote.

Let that sink in. This government’s response to concerns about limiting freedom of expression is to limit debate on a bill that deals with internet censorship. The irony is thick.

In addition to chipping away at our democracy and freedoms, tactics and bills like this will ensure Canadians’ distrust for government will continue to rise.