Darryl Dyck/CP Richard T. Lee is the Liberal Party's second byelection candidate in the riding of Burnaby South. He attends a news conference in Burnaby, B.C., on Jan. 19, 2019.

OTTAWA — A federal Liberal candidate suggested Wednesday that the United Nations should establish a worldwide internet regulator to stop the spread of misinformation. Richard Lee made the comment during the first candidates debate in Burnaby South, the British Columbia byelection race where NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is vying for a crucial seat. Federally-registered lobbying group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting hosted the event, which organizers billed as a chance for candidates to share their views about Facebook and the platform's impact on the CBC and private media outlets.

Proud to be on this stage as a long time resident of #Burnaby ready to exchange ideas at the first all candidates debate in #BurnabySouthpic.twitter.com/xqHZiQMmRb — Richard T Lee (@Richard_T_Lee) February 7, 2019

"We are in the new era," Lee said, about how the internet has permeated people's lives over the past four decades. Asked if Facebook should have journalistic standards to ensure content hosted on the site is credible and accurate, the former B.C. Liberal MLA said because the company operates worldwide, "I think United Nations should have a body to regulate those activities." The concept wasn't a hit with everyone in the packed Burnaby, B.C., hotel conference room where the debate took place. Some started to boo. Lee later defended his point further and explained the UN as the ideal organization for the task "because there are so many countries there." People's Party of Canada candidate Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson disagreed and claimed it's the UN that needs regulation, not Facebook users. It's not the first time the UN has been suggested as a possible regulatory body for the internet. The idea was previously knocked down by U.S. civil liberties groups and the Obama administration. Effect of misinformation campaigns 'pretty devastating': Singh Singh argued more checks and balances are needed for platforms such as Facebook. "The majority of Canadians rely on some source of multinational web corporation for their news," the NDP leader said. He acknowledged misinformation as an issue that's "problematic." "The repercussions are pretty devastating," he warned, and referenced the ongoing Special Counsel investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 U.S. election as an example for when things go awry. Conservative candidate Jay Shin said "any attempt to regulate free speech" comes with concerns about censorship. "I'm not sure how you can regulate [the] internet at that level," Shin said and hedged, "I think we have measures in Canada, with the parliamentarians trying to work together to make sure foreign influence can be limited." Earlier: NDP MP grills Facebook VP on why Mark Zuckerberg didn't show up to committee