New bill will grant CBC special privileges while regulating independent media

A cabinet bill tabled this week will grant the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) special privileges while heavily regulating independent press.

Bill C-18, the Online News Act, passed it’s first reading in the House of Commons on April 5, 2022. It will give new power to the Canadian Radio Television Corporation (CRTC) for regulatory oversight regarding digital news organizations and the content they share online.

As published by Rebel News' Efron Monsanto, Trudeau thinks that this bill will “increase journalistic independence across Canada… that protects freedom of expression that is essential for journalism,” noting that is “essential for our democracy.”

Trudeau on his upcoming censorship bill that also funds more tax-payer money to media:

"we are increasing journalistic independence across Canada... that protects freedom of expression that is essential for journalism... it's essential for our democracy"https://t.co/4mNarKZkZ4 pic.twitter.com/AwTgVfIMz9

— Efron Monsanto 🇨🇦🚜🚛 (@realmonsanto) April 7, 2022

While announcing more taxpayer funding for certain media outlets, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez claims that “the news sector in Canada is in crisis and this contributes to the heightened public mistrust and the rise of harmful disinformation.”

Trudeau's Heritage Minister's reason for announcing more tax-payer funding for media:

"the news sector in Canada is in crisis, and this contributes to the heightened public mistrust and the rise of harmful disinformation"https://t.co/4mNarLgWnE pic.twitter.com/BRGzVhQ7rS

— Efron Monsanto 🇨🇦🚜🚛 (@realmonsanto) April 6, 2022

He further details that Canada is “not getting a stronger democracy” but rather “a weaker democracy,” which apparently means that the government must step in to “protect and reinforce strong journalism in our country.”

Trudeau's Heritage Minister who is announcing more government funding for the bailout media says:

"we're not getting a stronger democracy, we're getting a weaker democracy. So we have to protect and reinforce strong journalism in our country." pic.twitter.com/wS2qnMHRNk

— Efron Monsanto 🇨🇦🚜🚛 (@realmonsanto) April 6, 2022

This upholding of strong journalism looks like hefty fines up to $15 million.

When pressed about which news organization would or would not qualify for government funding, Rodriguez responded that he “doesn’t decide who qualifies and who doesn’t… that would be terrible for our democracy.”

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez was asked if Rebel News was a news org. that would qualify for gov't funding.

"I don't decide who qualifies and who doesn't...that would be terrible in our democracy."

Thanks Pablo, we don't want your money anyway. pic.twitter.com/CF1Id5yTjL

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 6, 2022

Yet the CBC, who receives government funding to the tune of $1 billion of taxpayer money, is exempt from this particular bill.

Canadian lawyer Michael Geist in his post dissecting the “enormous power granted to the CRTC,” describes it as a shakedown.

As reported by Blacklock's, “Bill C-18 allows news corporations to skirt anti-trust laws in seeking collective payouts from social media corporations drawn from advertising generated by news content.”

Beneficiaries, i.e. those exempt from the over-reaching effects of this bill, include “private and public broadcasters that produce and publish original news content online,” said Rodriguez.

Bill C-18 also has the ability to prohibit online news organizations from criticizing conglomerate broadcasting corporations.

Corporations can file complaints to the commission who will be given regulations on how to interpret the act by the governor in council, who is the Liberal recommended and appointed Governor General Mary Simon.

If you oppose this enormous, far-reaching bill then please sign our petition at StopTheCensorship.ca.