Skip to main content

READ MY FULL OPINION COLUMN | BUSINESS IN CALGARY MAGAZINE

If governments and individuals continue to cancel and block each other when we have differences, is there any hope for science, freedom or truth in the future? Is anyone actually paying attention to how this IS holding back progress, or is it just about power?

In 2008 a documentary film called ‘Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed’ was released with the intent of questioning if anyone could be fired for expressing dissenting viewpoints. What it proved was that whoever controls the money controls the point of view, and there is a good chance effort to challenge those views could have negative consequences. Fast forward to 2024 and the implications have grown greater and more frightening. Case in point is Canada’s recent Bills C-11, C-18 and C- 63 whereby one is at risk of being cancelled or blocked over differences of opinions or political policies that could lead to fines or worse.

No longer being able to see or post any Canadian news on some social media platforms is another example. We can block each other on social media without great discomfort as we can always pick up news on other forums. However, Bills C-11, C-18 and C-63 have greater implications that we thought only existed in history books. It appears to be growing daily! Brazil, recently blocked Elon Musk’s social media platform ‘X’ making it completely inaccessible to its 22 million Brazilian users. Why? Because Musk and a judge disagreed over free speech, and what the judge deemed misinformation and for which thousands of dollars in fines were levied against people and companies trying to access it. Musk’s bank account for his satellite internet provider Starlink and their 250,000 customers service was frozen temporarily. Musk was providing free internet to those customers while he tried to work out the dispute.

CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL COLUMN IN BUSINESS IN CALGARY MAGAZINE

Shane Wenzel

Shane is the President & CEO of the Shane Homes Group of Companies and the namesake. Shane's responsibilities include strategic direction for the companies, policy advice for the building industry through BILD Calgary, and political involvement through the Alberta Enterprise Group on the economy, making him an industry leader in his field. Shane's sales and marketing background comes from growing up with two entrepreneurial parents, Cal and Edith, and participating in a business advisory group. On the personal side, Shane considers himself a bit of a "tech junky" and social media influencer on various platforms. He's also proudly apart of the LGBTQ community.