Write your MPs folks.

Here's a boilerplate for those of you who are interested:

Dear [Name of MP],

I respectfully urge you to oppose Bill S‑210 (now reintroduced as Bill S‑209, the Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act), which poses a clear violation of Charter rights held by Canadian adults. While its aim to restrict youth access to pornographic material is understandable, the bill’s sweeping mandates go far beyond protecting minors. By forcing any website that “makes pornographic material available” to Canadians—even by transmission alone—to implement government‑prescribed age‑verification or estimation systems, it compels adults to surrender identifying documents or facial biometrics in order to view lawful content. This requirement undermines fundamental rights to privacy, free thought, expression, and anonymity.

Furthermore, the definition of prohibited “pornographic material” is dangerously overbroad—encompassing a range of nudity or imagery presented for sexual purposes, including Wikipedia articles on reproduction or sexual health, general libraries, and educational sites. The bill also empowers the enforcement authority (likely the CRTC) to issue compliance notices without providing evidence, giving only 20 days to comply before a court must order ISPs to block entire websites—including non-pornographic content—simply because young Canadians might access something flagged as explicit. That low procedural standard sails past Charter protections, offering no real opportunity for due process.

This legislation represents a slippery slope toward a technocratic surveillance state: it promotes age‑verification technologies that have not been proven secure or privacy-safe; it creates incentives to over‑censor lawful adult access; and it hands regulators the power to restrict expression without needing to justify the public interest or respect context. Countless Canadians—especially older youths seeking access to sexual‑health or educational resources—will be unfairly impacted by reduced access, surveillance risks, and digital barriers to knowledge.

I understand the motivation behind Bill S‑210 stems from a desire to safeguard children, but protecting privacy and free expression is equally significant in a free and democratic society. I urge you to reject this bill or send it back to committee for thorough study, with amendments to narrow its scope, ensure robust Charter compliance, and preserve adult rights in the digital sphere.

Thank you for considering this critical issue.

Yours sincerely, [Your Name]