Cyberbullying law promised in throne speech takes aim at online abuse

OTTAWA – The federal government is promising a new law prohibiting the non-consensual distribution of intimate images — a key element of a legislative package to address cyberbullying.

The pledge in today’s throne speech follows a spate of troubling incidents involving young people, including that of Nova Scotia teenager Rehtaeh Parsons, who took her own life last April after a digital photograph of her allegedly being sexually assaulted in November 2011 was passed around her school.

The speech — which includes a mix of old and new criminal justice proposals — says the government will give police and prosecutors new tools to effectively address cyberbullying that involves criminal invasion of privacy, intimidation and personal abuse.

The government says it would also change the law so that the worst criminals spend their entire life behind bars — although it is unclear how this would differ from existing dangerous offender designations.

Another bill, dubbed Quanto’s Law in honour of a German shepherd killed on police duty, would introduce specific penalties for harming law-enforcement service animals.

As expected, the government also confirmed plans to usher in a victims bill of rights.