Canadian Justice Minister Arif Virani, who is also the nation’s attorney general, says it is very important that the government have the power to punish someone it believes might commit a hate crime even if that person actually hasn’t committed a crime. An online harms bill proposed by the government would give it such powers. Whoever the government contends might commit a hate crime would face a range of punishments, including restrictions on their Internet use, being forced to wear an electronic monitor, and house arrest. But Virani insists the bill would not infringe on free speech, saying speech that is “awful but lawful” would not be punished.
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