Queen’s Park in Review: Protecting Ontarians from Sexual Exploitation and Promoting Justice for Victims

MPP Laurie Scott Continues to Promote Safety and Victims’ Rights in the Province

NEWS – January 11, 2025

QUEEN’S PARK — During this sitting of the Ontario Legislature, MPP Laurie Scott of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock made important strives towards promoting justice, victims’ rights, and public safety in Ontario.

In December, MPP Scott tabled her Private Member’s Motion, Motion 157: for the Government of Ontario to call on the Federal Government to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to include artificial intelligence deepfakes, allowing Ontario to extend its Victims’ Bill of Rights, 1995 to include those who are harmed by the nonconsensual distribution of this content. MPP Scott will debate the Motion on March 6.

Artificial intelligence (AI) deepfake content refers to images and videos created by technological AI software, where the perpetrator superimposes the face and/or features of the victim onto sexually explicit or intimate content without consent. All too often, this content is widely circulated on online platforms. MPP Scott’s motion emphasizes that there must be a mechanism for victims of AI deepfakes to be protected, such as enforcing the removal of content from online platforms, holding perpetrators accountable, and preventing the retraumatizing of victims.

“This Motion is crucial to protect all Ontarians, especially our children, who are exploited by the lack of criminal consequences of AI/deepfakes, and to prevent victims of these heinous crimes from being retraumatized,” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. 

“The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology, while innovative, has created new vectors of harm through deepfake content,” said Carly Kalish, Executive Director Victim’s Services Toronto. “Protecting Canadians from the malicious use of deepfakes is not just a technological issue, but a fundamental matter of victims’ dignity and personal security. Extending the Victim’s Bill of Rights to include those harmed by AI-generated deepfakes represents a crucial step in modernizing our legal framework to address contemporary digital threats and strengthen protections for victims of technological-facilitated abuse.”

In the 2024 fall sitting, MPP Scott also successfully worked with MPP Laura Smith to incorporate the Change of Name Amendment Act into legislation that prohibit convicted pedophiles to legally change their names and make our communities more vulnerable.

Erin’s Law, a bill MPP Scott co-sponsored, passed and received Royal Assent. Erin’s Law expands awareness and educational opportunities for children, parents, and communities to understand the warning signs of sexual abuse to prevent these crimes, while providing counselling to protect current victims.

MPP Scott will continue her advocacy to protect children and support all victims’ rights.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Queen’s Park Office, MPP Laurie Scott

laurie.scott@pc.ola.org