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Minister defends arrest power for people feared to commit a hate crime in future

Arif Virani said new power could restrain behaviour of someone with a track record of hateful conduct

Open this photo in gallery: Justice Minister Arif Virani said online harms bill would strike a balance and that content that is 'awful but lawful' would remain online.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press Justice Minister Arif Virani has defended a new power in the online harms bill to impose house arrest on someone who is feared to commit a hate crime in the future – even if they have not yet done so already. Mr. Virani said for those categories of harm online that would not need to be taken down within 24 hours, he would expect the response of the regulator, ombudsperson or other body examining a complaint to be “prompt.” Fears have been expressed that they could take months or even years to adjudicate on whether posts should be removed.

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