In Canada, protection of a free press is so ingrained that we almost take it for granted. In Tanzania, unfortunately, one op-ed really can mean the difference between earning a living and the death of an entire paper.

Less than a generation ago, Canada was a world leader when it came to the fundamental democratic freedoms of assembly, speech and information. So perhaps it is time for us Canadians to wake up and smell the suppression -- no longer are censorships solely the purview of tin-pot dictators in far away regimes.

In the highly turbulent world of the Middle East, social media has been playing an extremely significant role in raising awareness and inciting change. But in Iran, the internet is closed-off from the outside world, only giving its citizens government-issued propaganda. People like Saman Arbabi are trying to fight this, and we must help in any way we can.

The French aren't exactly known for their modesty when it comes to gloating about their own country. But they are known for their privacy when it comes to scandalous stories about their politicians. Sorry, did I say "privacy?" I meant "censorship."

Saeed Malekpour was sentenced to death on October 2010 on false confessions he gave two years ago when subjected to physical and psychological torture. The release of Sarah, Shane, and Josh from Evin prison shows that we, as a community, can put a stop to yet another indictment on human rights.

With the recent popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James -- a book which focuses on the relationship between a recent college graduate, and a young businessman with a sexual penchant for BDSM -- people are asking themselves whether this is a topic that empowers the modern woman, or is a fantasy which promotes their degradation and exploitation. What do you think? See if either of our Huffpost combatants can change your mind!

A former CBC colleague-turned-journalism professor very politely questions the ethics of my writing this column for HuffPost. Surely, he suggests delicately, the internet in general -- and aggregators like HuffPost in particular -- are killing traditional mainstream, general-interest journalism. And, in the process, seriously damaging democracy. My reply...?

This app problem is just one skirmish in a long-brewing war between the ebook distributors. Consumers may not realize that ebook distributors have another weapon -- a dirty little secret actually -- to use in their fight: censorship. Yes, censorship.

On Jan. 25, Twitter's website became inaccessible in Egypt. Protestors, who had gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square and in other cities across the count...

As certain as death or taxes, it seems that so long as there are folks writing books there will always be those banning them. Little has changed these...

On the one hand you've got authors, fiercely passionate about acknowledging the realities faced by teens and children no matter how dark or brutal. On the other you have adults willing to stand between that content and their child, to protect them and nurture them.

Today kicks off Banned Books Week: the Huffington Post Canada and Indigo have teamed up to bring our readers' attention to books that have been banned or challenged, both in North America and around the world. Starting tomorrow, we will feature one noteworthy book per day that has come under fire, either by a government or a community. Should parents have the right to raise objections to what books their children are taught or are available in their school libraries? And should every book be exempt from challenge, no matter what its point of view or literary merit? These are important questions to consider and discuss this week. Whatever your opinion, remember that in Canada you are free to read a book, judge it on its merits, and discuss it openly.