Conservative MP Arnold Viersen’s private member’s motion, M-47, which relates to the effect of degrading sexually explicit material to minors, is gaining momentum in the House of Commons.
Selected as the 37th member of parliament who would have a chance to bring a motion forward to be debated on this year, Viersen’s project was formally introduced back in March and has since been supported by MPs from the Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green parties.
M-47 is a motion to commission a study about the negative impact of the availability of online sexual violence, on developing gender attitudes, as it relates to what society deems appropriate for adolescent consumption.
Viersen said he believes there ought to be better safeguards in place.
In reality, parents already have a way of limiting their child’s access to degrading material of a sexual nature.
It is called a parental lock and comes pre-programmed into Internet search engines and other computer software, smartphones and tablets.
They are relatively easy to use if you are computer savvy.
If you aren’t, hopefully there is a millennial nearby.
The only downfall is that, unless accompanied by a password or some other surveillance-type behaviour, these are safeguards that can be easily countermanded.
In the story on page 7A Viersen says that parents are at the forefront of this particular battle and some of the responsibility, in teaching children the difference between what is acceptable and what isn’t, clearly lies with them.
Taking a more active role in the development of your children, as a single parent or otherwise, the Barrhead Leader believes, can lead to more deeply defined relationships, healthier attitudes towards both sexes and a measure of respect deserved of each.
We should not be looking towards the government for censorship or limitations of access however.
Everyone in our country is free to express his or her self so these kinds of decisions, ones that rely on a sense of decency and what is deemed appropriate behaviour, ought to remain our responsibility first and foremost. After all, raising children properly is important.
M-47 is a continuation of a 30-year old conversation and it is one, in our opinion, that fell by the wayside as the country grappled with bigger problems.
Hopefully Viersen’s motion bears more substantial fruit than simple discussions at the federal level this time around.
Maybe it is time to review the requirements for an ‘Explicit Content’ label.
