A Toronto physician is calling on Parliament to pass legislation that would hold federal politicians accountable for making false or misleading statements.
Federico Sanchez has initiated an official electronic petition to the House of Commons, urging lawmakers to introduce a bill aimed at tackling what he describes as “a growing threat” of misinformation in Canadian politics.
The petition calls for the creation of a mechanism to verify Members of Parliament’s public statements, ensuring trust in Canada’s governing institutions.
To qualify for formal presentation in the House, an e-petition must secure at least 500 signatures. Sanchez’s initiative had already attracted more than 8,700 signatures by Tuesday. The petition remains open for signatures until 27 November.
Sanchez, who previously ran unsuccessfully as a Progressive Conservative candidate in Ontario, told M10News he has no interest in entering politics himself. Instead, he said his concern is preventing Canada from following the path of the United States, where political misinformation has become deeply entrenched.
“We don’t have as bad a problem with misinformation coming from elected officials,” Sanchez said. “But we are headed in that direction, if you ask me.”
Welsh model as inspiration
The petition references developments in Wales, where the government has announced plans to introduce legislation disqualifying politicians or candidates found guilty of deliberate deception by an independent judicial process.
A Welsh think tank, the Institute for Constitutional and Democratic Research, has outlined a model based on existing regulatory law. Under the proposal, if a court determines a politician made a false or misleading statement of fact, the court could issue a “correction notice” requiring a public retraction.
Politicians who refuse to comply within seven days, without a reasonable excuse, could face suspension from holding office in the Welsh Parliament for a specified period.
The model would also allow any registered voter to apply for a correction order, though courts would retain the power to dismiss frivolous or vexatious claims. The Institute argues this approach avoids disputes over intent while protecting freedom of expression, since politicians would have the chance to issue a correction before facing sanctions.
Expert scepticism
However, Canadian politics professor Alex Marland of Acadia University expressed doubt over whether such a framework could work in Canada.
While the idea of greater accountability is attractive, Marland noted that politics often involves complexity and nuance that make distinguishing truth from falsehood difficult.
“Sometimes a politician might utter a falsehood or decline to reveal information with the greater good in mind,” he said. “The weird thing about politics is, sometimes, we can’t live in a world of complete purity. It’s a very messy field to be in.”
Marland argued that voters should remain the ultimate arbiters of who serves in the legislature, not the courts.
He also questioned why attention remains fixed on politicians, rather than social media platforms that help spread political misinformation.
“Why is it that somehow we give a free pass to the platforms online?” he asked. “If they’re the ones that are allowing deceit and lies to propagate, why is the focus not on them?”
Editing by M10News Politics Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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