From the bill [1]:

[…] It amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, […] (g) criminalize the distribution of visual representations of bestiality; […] [1.3]

(3.‍1) Every person commits an offence who knowingly publishes, distributes, transmits, sells, makes available or advertises any visual representation that is or is likely to be mistaken for a photographic, film, video or other visual recording of a person committing bestiality. [1.1]

(3.‍4) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (3.‍1)

(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years; or

(b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction. [1.2]

For context, from the Criminal Code:

(7) In this section, bestiality means any contact, for a sexual purpose, with an animal. [3]

The Department of Justice’s rationale is that it is “online sextortion” [2], and that it is known to be used to manipulate children for sexual purposes [2].

References
  1. Type: Document. Title: “Protecting Victims Act”. Publisher: “Parliament of Canada”. Published: 2025-12-09. Accessed: 2025-12-09T22:48Z. URI: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-16/first-reading.
    1. Type: Text. Location: §“Criminal Code”>§“Amendments to the Act”>§“Representation of bestiality”
    2. Type: Text. Location: §“Criminal Code”>§“Amendments to the Act”>§“Punishment — representation of bestiality”
    3. Type: Text. Location: §“Summary”>§“(g)”
  2. Type: Article. Title: “Canada overhauls Criminal Code to protect victims and keep kids safe from predators”. Publisher: “Department of Justice Canada”. Published: 2025-12-09. Accessed: 2025-12-09T22:46Z. URI: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-justice/news/2025/12/canada-overhauls-criminal-code-to-protect-victims-and-keep-kids-safe-from-predators.html.
    • Type: Text. Location: §“Keep our kids safe from predators”>§“Crack down on online sextortion”.

      […] This legislation proposes stronger measures to address online sexploitation and child luring, including by criminalizing threatening to distribute child sexual abuse and exploitation material and distributing bestiality depictions, which are known to be used to manipulate children for sexual purposes. […]

  3. Type: Document (PDF). Title: “Criminal Code”. Publisher: “Government of Canada”. Published: 2025-11-20. Accessed: 2025-12-09T22:44Z. URI: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/C-46.pdf.
    • Type: Text. Location: §160>§7 (“Definition of bestiality”)
  • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
    1·
    4 days ago

    […] It says “likely to be mistaken for a photographic” media. This immediately rules out all forms of hand drawn and CG furry art from being covered by this law. It has to be a photo, video (or some AI generated facsimile). […]

    Are you interpreting “photographic” to mean “photorealistic”?

    • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      4 days ago

      No, I’m interpreting “photographic” to mean “photographic.” There’s no interpretation needed, the word has a specific meaning that is entirely valid in this context. The question is, why are you trying to interpret “photographic” as meaning anything else?