Quebec newsroom leaders are calling out a new bill to protect politicians from abuse, saying the legislation is excessive and potentially stifling to democratic debate.
Media companies – including The Canadian Press, La Presse, Quebecor, and CBC – said Thursday in an open letter to the government that the bill contains measures that “compromise the freedom of expression of citizens and the media.”
Tabled in April by Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest, the legislation aims to protect elected officials from threats and intimidation, and includes fines between $500 and $1,500.
The bill is the government’s response to a wave of resignations from elected officials. A recent survey by Quebec’s union of municipalities found that 74 per cent of elected municipal leaders reported having experienced harassment and intimidation, and that 741 out of 8,000 had quit since the 2021 election.
Laforest’s bill says a person could be fined if they threaten, intimidate or harass a municipal or provincial politician in a way that prevents them from doing their job or makes them worry for their safety.
However, media companies say the bill is too broad and allows elected leaders to potentially silence unfavourable criticism from both citizens and journalists.
The bill would also authorize politicians subjected to comments or actions that “unduly hinder the exercise of their functions or invade their privacy” to apply to the Superior Court for an injunction. The court could then order the offender to stop communicating with the politician or to refrain from going to their office or acting in a way that would hinder their work.
But interference in officials’ right to privacy and the exercise of their duties is not defined in the bill, an omission that opens the door to limits on free expression, the letter says.
“This would make life easier for elected officials, and cities, who would like to intimidate individuals and organizations that do not have the means to defend themselves,” the letter reads. “The mere existence of this new legislative tool would be likely to have a chilling effect on citizen and media speech.”
Élodie Masson, a spokesperson for Laforest’s office, says the bill is needed to protect Quebec’s democratic institutions amid the rise in resignations among municipal councillors.
“The aim is not to restrict comments or criticism, but to encourage healthy debate and exchange in a civilized manner,” Masson said Thursday.