The federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon a previous Liberal initiative that would have allowed Canadians to file human rights complaints related to online hate speech.

The move marks a departure from efforts advanced during Justin Trudeau’s tenure, particularly those connected to the now-defunct “section 13” of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which historically dealt with hate speech complaints but was repealed under the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper.The previous attempt to reintroduce a similar mechanism appeared in Bill C-63, which sought to modernize Canada’s approach to online harms.

Among other measures, it proposed creating a new digital regulator for social media platforms and allowing individuals to file complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission regarding the communication of hate speech online.

Critics, particularly from the Conservative opposition, argued that the proposal risked overreach, potentially enabling censorship and overwhelming human rights bodies with complaints, including frivolous ones.

According to a statement from Justice Minister Sean Fraser’s spokesperson, the government has confirmed it will not proceed with reintroducing that specific provision into the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Fraser also told a parliamentary committee that future online harms legislation should not be expected to simply replicate previous bills, signalling a broader policy reset.

Meanwhile, Canadian Heritage Minister Marc Miller is reportedly reviewing the issue with a fresh approach, and no timeline has been set for a new online safety bill.

The government continues to explore other digital safety measures, including discussions around potential restrictions on social media use for minors and the regulation of AI-generated harmful content.

Civil society groups and child safety advocates have urged Ottawa to move forward more quickly, noting that Canada lags behind countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia in establishing comprehensive online safety regulators.

Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has also indicated that his party is examining options such as restricting social media access for minors, though no formal position has been adopted.