House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota yesterday dismissed a complaint against a reporter for Canadian Bar Association National Magazine who made a tweet suggesting "lame" politicians, like horses, should be shot..Rota said his ruling did not excuse abusive comments..“Elected officials are regularly subject to comments on social media that go beyond criticism or political debate,” said Rota. “Some comments are extreme and occasionally even violent.”.“Parliamentarians, their staff and those who report on parliamentary activities should seek to raise the level of public debate and resist the temptation to trivialize or oversimplify important issues as can occur on social media,” said Rota..According to Blacklock's Reporter, the ruling followed a September 21 incident during Question Period. Bar Association reporter Dale Smith, commenting on remarks from Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.), tweeted: “I cannot adequately tell you how lame it is. When horses are this lame you shoot them.”.READ MORE: Conservative MPs call for reporter to be removed from press gallery after 'threatening' tweet .Smith did not respond to questions. Genuis called the remark outrageous and said, "this is normal political discourse." Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre, as well as MPs Andrew Scheer and Raquel Dancho, came out in support of Genuis..Rota dismissed the MP’s complaint the tweet breached House of Commons rules. The Commons Procedure And Practice guide is silent on unacceptable social media habits..“The facts outlined in the House do not appear to show the member was impeded in performing his parliamentary function,” said Rota..The Speaker added he personally objected to snide remarks about legislators. “I would like to remind everyone who influences public debate they have a responsibility to consider the consequences of their remarks and to choose their words judiciously and respectfully,” said Rota..The “shoot them” incident follows cabinet proposals to regulate legal internet content deemed hurtful. Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez on September 20 said a bill was pending..“I am finishing my consultations,” said Rodriguez. “It is coming soon. The bill is absolutely essential. There are too many things that should not be there.”.Cabinet on June 23, 2021 introduced Bill C-36 An Act To Amend The Criminal Code that proposed $70,000 fines on internet users who posted legal content “likely to foment detestation or vilification of an individual or group.” The bill lapsed in the last Parliament..Hate speech is already unlawful under 1970 amendments to the Criminal Code..“I think everybody in this country, and especially elected officials, have I think a responsibility, a duty to ensure we protect our institutions and the last thing we should try and do is to somehow diminish them just in the hope we can score points,” then-Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said in 2021 testimony at the Commons heritage committee..“I think there are other ways we can score political points. Of course we’re political adversaries — I understand that — but certainly not at the expense of our institutions," he said.
House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota yesterday dismissed a complaint against a reporter for Canadian Bar Association National Magazine who made a tweet suggesting "lame" politicians, like horses, should be shot..Rota said his ruling did not excuse abusive comments..“Elected officials are regularly subject to comments on social media that go beyond criticism or political debate,” said Rota. “Some comments are extreme and occasionally even violent.”.“Parliamentarians, their staff and those who report on parliamentary activities should seek to raise the level of public debate and resist the temptation to trivialize or oversimplify important issues as can occur on social media,” said Rota..According to Blacklock's Reporter, the ruling followed a September 21 incident during Question Period. Bar Association reporter Dale Smith, commenting on remarks from Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.), tweeted: “I cannot adequately tell you how lame it is. When horses are this lame you shoot them.”.READ MORE: Conservative MPs call for reporter to be removed from press gallery after 'threatening' tweet .Smith did not respond to questions. Genuis called the remark outrageous and said, "this is normal political discourse." Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre, as well as MPs Andrew Scheer and Raquel Dancho, came out in support of Genuis..Rota dismissed the MP’s complaint the tweet breached House of Commons rules. The Commons Procedure And Practice guide is silent on unacceptable social media habits..“The facts outlined in the House do not appear to show the member was impeded in performing his parliamentary function,” said Rota..The Speaker added he personally objected to snide remarks about legislators. “I would like to remind everyone who influences public debate they have a responsibility to consider the consequences of their remarks and to choose their words judiciously and respectfully,” said Rota..The “shoot them” incident follows cabinet proposals to regulate legal internet content deemed hurtful. Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez on September 20 said a bill was pending..“I am finishing my consultations,” said Rodriguez. “It is coming soon. The bill is absolutely essential. There are too many things that should not be there.”.Cabinet on June 23, 2021 introduced Bill C-36 An Act To Amend The Criminal Code that proposed $70,000 fines on internet users who posted legal content “likely to foment detestation or vilification of an individual or group.” The bill lapsed in the last Parliament..Hate speech is already unlawful under 1970 amendments to the Criminal Code..“I think everybody in this country, and especially elected officials, have I think a responsibility, a duty to ensure we protect our institutions and the last thing we should try and do is to somehow diminish them just in the hope we can score points,” then-Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said in 2021 testimony at the Commons heritage committee..“I think there are other ways we can score political points. Of course we’re political adversaries — I understand that — but certainly not at the expense of our institutions," he said.
