‘Using new technology to commit old crimes’: Fraser defends C-16, says laws must be modernized to adapt to changing technology

Government policies must be modernized to protect against changing technology, Justice Minister Sean Fraser told the House justice committee on March 23 in defence of Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act. Fraser (Central Nova, N.S.) told committee members that C-16, which was tabled in December, would hold prospective offenders accountable for “heinous” actions that are not currently captured under the Criminal Code. Among other things, C-16 would expand the distribution of intimate images offence to include deepfakes, make it illegal to threaten to distribute intimate images, and ensure the criminal harassment offence includes conduct committed through modern technology (like online stalking or monitoring). “With the modernization of the Criminal Code, we will be able to ensure that these behaviours are captured, and that the wrongdoers are punished for their actions,” Fraser said. Fraser referenced a recent court case in Nova Scotia, which saw a man acquitted of charges under the Criminal Code’s intimate image provisions because the images in question were deepfakes created by artificial intelligence (AI). He said the man was acquitted not because the court thought the act was not “morally culpable," but because the intimate images definition in the Criminal Code does not include images created by AI. Fraser added he has seen several decisions rendered by courts that point out the use of AI to create sexually explicit deepfakes “is a horrible behaviour that demands action.” Fraser said it is rare that courts will clearly point out the need for legislative change to address a social harm that they witness and agree is bad — so, when they do, the government must listen. “We have an obligation to respond when people are using new technologies to commit old crimes,” Fraser told the committee. “We have to update our laws to reflect the changing nature of technology.” He added that keeping up with evolving technology is also important for digital criminal harassment and protecting children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and harmful online environments. While specific details of the bill are contentious among opposition members, Fraser noted during his appearance that there is bipartisan support for protecting against sexually explicit deepfakes, child sexual abuse, and other violent crimes outlined in the bill. But Fraser also stressed C-16 is only one piece of the protecting-Canadians puzzle. “We can’t lose sight of the fact that this bill is one part of a larger, broader strategy that will seek to end violent crime in our communities,” he said. Some other pieces of that puzzle are Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, and the government’s forthcoming online harms bill, which would regulate online harms at a platform level. After the meeting, Fraser told The Wire Report his office is working in collaboration with Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, Que.) and AI Minister Evan Solomon (Toronto Centre, Ont.) on the online harms bill. “Collectively, as a government, we are looking to adopt additional policies in this space,” he said. “Who is the official mover or seconder of the bill has never been the most important piece to me, but I expect, the three of us, you should see, over the next number of months, that policy work continue to evolve.” mcollins@thewirereport.ca

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‘Using new technology to commit old crimes’: Fraser defends C-16, says laws must be modernized to adapt to changing technology

Regulatory | By Maria Collins |March 24, 2026

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Regulatory |
By Maria Collins
|March 24, 2026