Virani defends Online Harms Bill after Margaret Atwood warns of 'thoughtcrime' risk

Justice Minister Arif Virani is defending his government's Online Harms Bill after celebrated Canadian writer Margaret Atwood shared views comparing the new legislation to George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The award-winning author took to social media late last week to share an article from the British magazine The Spectator titled, "Trudeau's Orwellian online harms bill."

"If this account of the bill is true, it's Lettres de Cachet all over again," Atwood wrote on X, referring to letters once sent out by the King of France authorizing imprisonment without trial.

The federal government introduced late last month its long-awaited Online Harms Bill, which proposes to police seven categories of harmful content online, including content used to bully a child, content that sexualizes children or victims of sexual violence, content that incites violence or terrorism, and hate speech.

As part of proposed amendments, "hate speech" would be defined based on Supreme Court of Canada decisions.

"The possibilities for revenge false accusations + thoughtcrime stuff are sooo inviting!" Atwood wrote.

In Orwell's cautionary novel about a totalitarian society, thoughtcrime is the illegal act of disagreeing with the  government's political ideology in one's unspoken thoughts.

Atwood famously tackled authoritarian regimes in her novel The Handmaid's Tale, in which a religious patriarchal society forces women to bear children and those who speak freely are severely punished.

Her publicist said she was not available for interview about her social media post.

Asked about Atwood's comment during an event in Toronto, Virani said there's a lack of understanding about  Bill C-63 and how to combat hate.

Virani said the definition of hate speech in the bill does not include content that's "awful but lawful."

"It includes expressions of detestation and vilification. It does not include insults, offensive comments, or jokes that are not very polite," said Virani in French.

"The idea that someone on their smartphone on an afternoon while they're watching a football game, if they insult anyone ... could be condemned in a court or caught by a peace bond is ridiculous, in my opinion." 

Virani, who is shepherding the Online Harms Bill through the House of Commons, said protecting freedom of expression is essential to him as minister of justice.