Canada's Justice Minister, Arif Virani, has emphasized the importance of personal safety measures for politicians, including carrying a mobile duress alarm and informing someone when attending public events. While Virani acknowledges the increase in threats against elected officials, he is cautious about endorsing the suggestion made by RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme to make it easier for police to pursue charges against those who threaten politicians. Virani believes that the government is open to finding ways to better address the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies, including empowering hate crimes units and implementing provisions from the Online Harms Act. The act, a long-promised bill, aims to hold social media platforms more accountable for reducing harmful content [ddad2a2d].
The RCMP has the necessary tools to deal with threats against politicians, according to Justice Minister Arif Virani. Virani carries a mobile duress alarm and always informs someone when attending public events. While he acknowledges the increase in threats against elected officials, Virani is cautious about endorsing the suggestion made by RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme to make it easier for police to pursue charges against those who threaten politicians. Virani believes that the government is open to finding ways to better address the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies, including empowering hate crimes units and implementing provisions from the Online Harms Act. The act, a long-promised bill, aims to hold social media platforms more accountable for reducing harmful content [ddad2a2d].
An intelligence report from last June highlighted the normalization of threats against politicians tied to extremist narratives and personal grievances. Liberal MP Pam Damoff has announced that she will not seek re-election due to the threats and harassment she has faced. Virani expressed his willingness to help address the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and emphasized the importance of empowering hate crimes units to combat threats against elected officials and everyday Canadians. He also mentioned the provisions contained in the Online Harms Act, which aims to increase the accountability of social media giants in reducing harmful content on their platforms [ddad2a2d].