Hon. Kristopher Wells: Thank you, minister. In addition to the important measures contained in Bill C-9, there is still much work to do in combatting hate, particularly online. In the previous Parliament, the government tabled comprehensive legislation to combat online harms, including hate speech, through the creation of a new digital safety commission. Does the government remain committed to reintroducing legislation to combat online harms, including the growing radicalization and proliferation of hate on the internet and through social media?

Hon. Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Thank you. I know you’re referring to the previous Bill C-63. Canadians should expect to see the government take action to address some of the same harms that were the subject of that bill. You should not expect to see an identical bill copied and pasted in its previous form. We’ve already, for example, taken action through some of the measures that would have been included in that bill through Bill C-9, which you’ve mentioned. The legislation to which I’ve referred earlier in this appearance at the Senate today that will be targeting gender-based violence and protecting kids online will have additional measures that touch on the Criminal Code reforms.

In addition to the criminal justice reforms we are planning to implement, there is a consultation process now under way, engaging my colleagues — the ministers responsible for cultural identity and artificial intelligence — who are, I understand, looking at additional reforms in this space.