Background on the Promise

During the 2025 federal election campaign, Liberal Leader Mark Carney pledged to introduce legislation aimed at protecting children from horrific crimes, with a specific focus on online sexploitation and extortion. The promise emphasized providing law enforcement and prosecutors with necessary tools to prevent these crimes and hold perpetrators accountable. This commitment was part of a broader public safety platform announced in April 2025, which also addressed gang violence, border security, and the influx of illegal guns and drugs.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Following the Liberal victory in the 2025 election, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government moved quickly on public safety issues. In June 2025, the government tabled Bill C-2, known as the Strong Borders Act. This legislation expands powers for law enforcement and border agencies, including enhanced access to internet subscriber data, which could aid in investigating online crimes such as child sexploitation and extortion. The bill aims to equip police and prosecutors with digital tools to track and combat online threats, aligning with the promise's emphasis on stopping these crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Additionally, in March 2025—shortly before the election but carried forward under Carney—the government announced $39.7 million in funding to protect children and youth from online sexual exploitation. While this is an investment rather than legislation, it supports related initiatives. However, critics, including civil liberties groups, have raised concerns that Bill C-2's provisions on data access are overly broad and could infringe on privacy, potentially undermining the targeted focus on child protection.

Legislation Proposed or Passed

Bill C-2 represents the primary legislative effort related to this promise. Introduced in June 2025, it includes measures to strengthen border enforcement and police capabilities, such as mandatory reporting requirements for electronic service providers on systemic vulnerabilities, which could indirectly address online extortion and exploitation. The bill has passed its first reading but faces opposition and amendments, with debates highlighting its potential to provide tools for prosecutors in child protection cases.

No standalone legislation specifically titled for child protection from online sexploitation has been introduced as of August 2025. Previous efforts, like Bill C-63 (the Online Harms Act from 2024), which aimed to combat harmful online content including child exploitation, died before the election. Advocacy groups and pediatricians have urged the Carney government to prioritize a new online safety law, indicating that while Bill C-2 touches on the issue, a more targeted bill is still needed.

Progress on Specific Promise Elements

The promise's core elements include introducing legislation to protect children from online sexploitation and extortion, and providing tools to law enforcement and prosecutors. Bill C-2 addresses the tools aspect by expanding data access and enforcement powers, which could help stop these crimes. However, the lack of a dedicated child-focused bill means the protection element remains partially addressed. Reports of rising sextortion cases in May 2025 have prompted calls for stronger regulations, but no new specific legislation has been tabled beyond the broader security measures.

To fully keep this promise, the government would need to introduce and pass targeted legislation explicitly addressing online child exploitation, building on or separate from Bill C-2. If no further action is taken by the end of the parliamentary session or if Bill C-2 is significantly watered down without child protection enhancements, the promise risks being considered broken.

Overall Status