Pundits Say Governor General Should Remain Impartial After Hosting Event Linked by Minister to Online Harms Bill

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon delivers a keynote address at the Canadian Bar Association’s Aboriginal Law conference in Ottawa on May 11, 2023. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby

A symposium on online abuse hosted by Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall last week has been linked by a cabinet minister to the Liberal government’s efforts to champion its Online Harms Act legislation, raising questions from pundits about Ms. Simon’s “impartiality.”

While Rideau Hall drew no parallels between Bill C-63 and its April 11 symposium, Attorney General Arif Virani described the conference on social media as a time to discuss “our Online Harms Act to create a safe experience for everyone.”