On C-10, Conservatives attacking Canadian, Quebec culture: Trudeau

“Conservatives just don’t get it” when it comes to Bill C-10, according to Prime Minister Justin Turdeau who was grilled by the opposition over the revised Broadcasting Act during Wednesday’s Question Period. “Bill C-10 seeks to promote Canadian music, storytelling, and creative works. It does not affect the work and activities of internet service providers in Canada. It has no impact on Canada's commitment to net neutrality,” Trudeau said. His comments came after Conservative MP Rachael Harder said Trudeau ``"insists on misleading the house and thereby the Canadian public” when he states that it would not impact Canadian’s freedom of expression or net neutrality. Bill C-10 "takes choice away from Canadians by dictating the content that they should and should not do online, it's sneaky it's controlling and it's wrong, so why is the Prime Minister insisting on regulating the Internet,” she said, referring to the Heritage’s committee move to eliminate language front he bill that would have exempt social media from CRTC regulation. Trudeau also said that the Liberals were committed to giving the CRTC “the tools” it requires to navigate the digital world and “make choices to highlight and privilege Canadian content over foreign content,” when asked by Harder what constitutes content that is “Canadian enough.” He then accused the Conservatives of “attacking, once again, the cultural industry” in Canada and Quebec. “In a world where people don't only get their Canadian content from CBC or CTV or on the radio, we need to make sure we continue to support Canadian content, that's exactly what we're going to do, no surprise that Conservatives don't get it,” he said. Trudeau went on to reiterate previous Liberal talking points: that the social media regulation will only require foreign broadcasters to make Canadian content discoverable, provide financial information regarding their Canadian income, and financially contribute to the Canadian cultural system -- a motion passed during last week’s Heritage Committee meeting. “Despite these attacks against Quebec and Canadian creators, we are supporting people online and… they will never be considered broadcasters under this legislation... this is clearly stated out in Clause 2.1 of the bill. So why are the Conservatives focusing on this? Because they don't want to support the cultural industry in Canada," Trudeau said. Conservative MP Alain Rayes, a member of the Heritage Committee pushed back, stating that the Prime Minister did not read Bill C-10 or follow the work of the Heritage Committee. “With all due respect to the Prime Minister, he did not read Bill C-10. Unfortunately, he did not follow the work of the committee, because if he had done so he would have seen that 4.1 clearly says that the government is attacking freedom of expression by legislating in this respect," Rayes said. Earlier this month, Justice Minister David Lametti released a new analysis of the bill with the removal of Section 4.1 (the previous social media exemption) and found that it remained Charter compliant. Meanwhile the Bloc Québécois are itching to pass Bill C-10. During Question Period, MP Martin Champoux, who sits on the Heritage Committee, told Trudeau that the Bloc want Bill C-10 passed before the end of the session in the House and in the Senate and that “the leader of the Bloc Québécois has offered the government the highest level of cooperation possible.” “The Liberals don't understand the important role they have to play in advancing this work. They're the ones who decide what gets put on the legislative calendar and who delayed the committee appearances of two ministers,” Champoux said, referring to the Heritage Committee motion tabled by Liberal MP Anthony Housefather to suspend clause-by-clause review of the bill until it receive an updated charter statement and heard testimony from the ministers of justice and heritage. Trudeau skirted the question when asked by Champoux if and when the bill will be passed and stated that the Liberals will work “diligently and enthusiastically” on the revised Broadcasting Act. -- Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca and editing by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

On C-10, Conservatives attacking Canadian, Quebec culture: Trudeau

News | May 26, 2021

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On C-10, Conservatives attacking Canadian, Quebec culture: Trudeau

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