Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party is trying to push through a bill that would give the government the power to filter what Canadians see in their news feeds, on YouTube, and on social media. The Online Streaming Act claims to aim only to promote “Canadian Content” (CanCon) and “strengthen Canada's cultural fabric,” but in reality would allow the government to promote and censor content seen by Canadians online. Bill C-11 is currently being debated in the Senate, as the Liberal Party attempts to push it through without amendments, claiming it is not intended to apply to “user-generated digital content,” with opposition coming only from the Conservatives.
"I've been now in this place for 15 years and excuse me if I just am a little bit skeptical of taking any government at face value. I, as a legislator, would like to see things in the law in black and white," said Conservative Sen. Housakos.
The bill is very close to becoming law if Canadians don’t use their voices to push back, loudly.
I spoke with journalist Rupa Subramanya about Bill C-11 and its consequences, should the bill become legislation. Read her article, "Trudeau’s Battle Against a Free Internet," at The Free Press.
Why is the Canadian government trying to regulate what you see online?