WHEN WORDS BECOME CRIME

 

When Words Become Crimes

Swift Justice for Speech, Slow Justice for Crime

A recent case in Ontario should give every Canadian pause. A man from North Bay has been sentenced to nine months in jail for what he posted online — a first-of-its-kind conviction under Canada’s newly strengthened hate‑speech laws.

Let’s be clear from the outset: Voice of Nanaimo does not in any way endorse or excuse what this man said. His comments were vile, offensive, and deeply hurtful to many. But defending freedom of speech means defending it for everyone — not just for those who say things we agree with. Once the state decides which opinions are legal and which are not, the foundation of freedom itself begins to crumble.

What makes this case even more striking is how swiftly it moved through the courts. From investigation to sentencing took less than a year — lightning speed in today’s Canadian justice system. Compare that to the countless drug‑trafficking or violent‑crime files that take three to five years to reach trial — or are dismissed altogether because of delays. Under the so‑called “Jordan” rules set down by the Supreme Court, many offenders simply walk free because the system is too backlogged to prosecute them on time.

The contrast is hard to ignore. A man goes to jail for words on a screen, while fentanyl dealers — whose actions directly destroy lives — often get little or no jail time at all. The message seems to be that the justice system can move fast when it wants to, just not when it comes to crimes that are literally killing Canadians every day.

This isn’t happening in isolation. Across the Atlantic, Britain has been jailing people for tweets, memes, and online posts deemed “offensive” or “non‑compliant with hate‑speech laws.” Thousands have been investigated under similar statutes. What began as an effort to combat hatred has become, in practice, a campaign to police thought and language. Canada now appears to be taking its first steps down that same path.

There is a world of difference between speech that is hateful and speech that is criminal. One is fought with ideas and argument; the other with handcuffs and jail cells. When we criminalize speech — even despicable speech — we hand the state the power to decide what may and may not be said. History has shown that power is never used wisely for long.

The right to speak freely is the bedrock of every other liberty. It protects the artist, the journalist, the reformer, and the dissenter. If we lose it — even for reasons that sound noble — we lose the ability to question those in power.

Voice of Nanaimo believes in justice for victims of real harm: for families shattered by drugs, for seniors robbed by scams, for citizens endangered by violence. But jailing people for words, while violent and destructive offenders go free, is not justice — it’s a dangerous shift in priorities.

We can condemn hate while still defending speech. Because when governments jail words faster than they prosecute drug traffickers, it isn’t justice being served — it’s freedom being buried.