Apparently Canada does not allow freedom of speech.

Question

it is freedom of speech is all I said and apparently Canada doesn’t allow it

Answer 1

I wouldn't say that Canada doesn't allow freedom of speech, rather they have constitutionally protected and very limited freedom of speech and expression. In Section 2 of Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms it lists freedom of speech and expression as one of their fundamental freedoms. 

If we read section 2 it tells us, "We’re free to think our own thoughts, speak our minds, listen to views of others and express our opinions in creative ways." countering your idea that Canada does not allow freedom of speech. As I mentioned before though, there are some limitations to the freedom of speech allowed. If we read further into the charter we see it says, "In addition, the Charter does not protect expression such as hate speech that involves threats of violence or that takes the form of violence. The media also have certain fundamental freedoms, and are free to print and broadcast news and other information." proving that, much like the United States, there are some limitations to free speech and expression.

If we look at Section 319 (1) of Canadas Criminal Laws though we can see that under the freedom of speech and expression, if violated or used in a negative way, there are consequences up to jail time. 

Comments

I thought your usage of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was a very reliable and credible source which led to your conclusion being very accurate due to your research being straight from the Law. This immediately made me a lot more interested in your comment and your conclusion due to the sources you used. Good job on the research and conclusion!

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I think using Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a source is a great way to emphasize how Canada protects freedom of speech while not allowing violent or hate speech.

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I appreciate how you provided a thorough explanation of the protection of freedom of speech in Canada. By referencing Section 2 of the Charter rights clarify that freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental right. To strengthen your fact check, explain why these limitations are there. Also an additional source to build an even stronger response. Overall, you do a great job on identifying the misconceptions  of Canada and their lacking of freedom of speech.

Answer 2

The claim that Canada does not allow free speech is false. Canada protects freedom of speech and expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, though it has more regulations than the United States. 

The Charter is part of Canada's constitution and protects the basic rights of everyone in the country. It guarantees freedoms such as expression, religion, and peaceful assembly, ensuring that the government cannot take these rights away without a justified reason. 

Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of press and other media of communication.” The confusion of the claim, originally made from what appears to be a deactivated BlueSky post, likely stems from Section 1 of the Charter, which notes that these rights are subject to “reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.” 

This means that freedom of expression is not absolute. Canadians are free to express their opinions and participate in peaceful demonstrations unless they infringe on the rights of others or harm public interest. For example, expressions that take the form of hate speech, threats of violence, or slander are not protected. 

The Supreme Court of Canada reinforced this principle in the Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Quebec (1989) case, where it ruled that limits on expression can be justified if they serve an important public purpose. In this case, a ban on target advertising to children was upheld because it protected vulnerable audiences, even though advertising is a form of free expression. 

The Charter’s phrase of “justified in a free and democratic society” means that the government can only limit rights for strong, reasonable purposes, like protecting public safety. Canada balances freedom of speech with social responsibility; the Government cannot restrict expression simply because they disagree with someone's opinion.