Mary Simon to host forum to address online abuse
Governor General closed her own social media comment sections last year over racist, sexist messages
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon speaks in Iqaluit during a celebration for Nunavut’s 25th anniversary as a territory on April 1. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Following her four-day visit to Nunavut, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will host a symposium in Ottawa to address online hate and talk about creating safer, more respectful spaces on the internet.
The Governor General’s Symposium: Building a Safe and Respectful Digital World is set to take place April 11 at Rideau Hall, her official Ottawa residence.
“It’s to grow the conversation across the country and maybe worldwide, so that changes can be made to the way social media is used,” Simon said in an interview this week in Iqaluit.
Participants will include academics, journalists, government officials, gender equality advocates, mental health workers, technology industry representatives and youth leaders from across Canada, according to a news release from her office.
Online abuse has been one of the issues Simon has been most vocal on over the past year.
In February 2023, her office announced it closed the comments and replies sections of her public Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
“In recent months we have witnessed an increase in abusive, misogynistic and racist engagement on social media and online platforms, including a greater number of violent threats,” a statement from the time read.
On March 8, 2023, which was International Women’s Day, her social media pages shared a video of some of the hateful comments, which include derogatory words for women and Indigenous people.
Some of those comments directly attacked Simon for being Inuk. She is Canada’s first Indigenous governor general.
“I decided to go public with it, because I felt that if I just walked away from it my silence wouldn’t be able to help anybody,” Simon said in an interview on Monday.
“It wasn’t even about my work, it was about me as an individual because I was Indigenous, because my culture and my identity wasn’t the right one with [whoever] was sending these hate messages.”
Simon said the kind of abusive language she has faced online discourages younger women from running for political office or seeking leadership positions.
Closing her social media comments was not about silencing critics and free speech, she said.
“We all have freedom of speech, but it’s about how we attack people or individuals,” she said.
“You can have disagreements and be respectful with each other … and I think these are things we have to teach our young people as well.”
Although politicians will be among those attending Simon’s event, she said it’s not a “political” meeting.
Rather, she hopes to bring people from various walks of life together to share their experiences of facing online hate, and have a discussion about ways to prevent further abuse.
“We are inviting them to tell their stories so that people get to know what is out there,” she said.
I’d like to see some of the allegedly racist, misogynistic comments for myself, because frankly I don’t trust Nunatsiaq News to do anything but repeat verbatim whatever Simon says.
GG Canada youtube page, 2023 International Women’s Day video shows some of the comments.
Onliners must be Rideau Hall approved to have an opinion, and see the world as a rich and beautiful equal playground. High horses and snide looks is all I got.🤑
The Alliance reform party (Cons) might have a problem with this, the stuff they spew can be pretty disgusting and hateful.
More and more we have a US style of garbage being spewed by the groups.
Ireland and Canada are following Scotland’s Hate Crime Law, dubbed… the most stupidest law in history.
A cough, cough “safe internet” is the weaponization against its citizens on what the elites and government don’t like said.
In other words, Authoritarian rule… “favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom.”
Consider the scenario. A comedian or you tell a joke. A writer writes or you post a comment, today or from years ago about anything. You defend girls, women’s right of privacy while changing.
As in Scotland, all it’ll take is an anonymous report from someone who had their feeling hurt or offended on what you said. Opening an investigation into what may lead to hefty fines or life in jail. And you’ll never know who made the report against you.
Scotland has received so many hate reports to investigate that they will not investigate unsolvable theft or vandalism cases, and rape and murder case will now take longer. Because all eyes are moved over to focus on hate crimes.
In the US, people are posting videos of the FBI knocking on their door because they posted a critical post about Joe Biden. US is also working towards hate speech crime.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” George Orwell, 1984.
Thank you GG Simon for facing this issue head on.
There is a concerning lack of values and ethics in the world these days. Every positive effort to counterbalance this is a step forward for humankind.
She should fight the northwest company for highway robbery. They’ve been doing it for centuries. Heck they are even starting to ask hamlet to forgive their debts. But, assuming she’s with the government. She is full of greed just like them. Political bs.
I guess she just wants to enjoy luxurious life without having to read the comments about how she started living lavishly after becoming gg. Inuit be dirt poor and she drinks champagne and wine out of gold rim glass. Eating out of silver platter.
Give it a try sometime and work for it and you may learn a thing or two. Been pushed down many times and just find another way. Keep it up Mary and do not worry about these losers who just want to see others be unhappy.
This paper with these invisible commenters are seething with hate and I am glad you are trying to tackle it Mary. I am hopeful this paper will be taken to task with ongoing attacks on any Inuk who is trying to help others.
Wonder if anyone would say the things they do if they were required to post their real names and not anonymously.
Using you as an example, I would suggest one possible downside of making people sue their ‘real names’ is the quality of comments would drop precipitously.
We the sheeple will obey the government