OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau took an unprompted jab at his main political rival today over a Senate porn bill that the prime minister says could usher in a digital ID for adults who want to browse certain websites.

Trudeau made the comments after a press conference in Nova Scotia, accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of spreading “lies” about the Liberal government’s upcoming online harms legislation.

The bill, which Trudeau says is centred around protecting children from sexual exploitation and bullying on the internet, is expected to be tabled in the coming days.

Poilievre said on Wednesday that the online harms bill is part of “Justin Trudeau’s woke authoritarian agenda” and an “attack on freedom of expression.”

Trudeau charges that Poilievre hasn’t seen the bill yet and instead of proposing serious legislation, the Conservatives are proposing that adults hand over their personal information to browse the web.

Bill S-210 would require porn sites to verify users’ ages, and options for enforcement could include a digital ID or a webcam scan of a user’s face — two methods the Conservatives say they’re against, despite their support for the bill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press