Libs now seek to restrict CRTC social media powers, Bloc says enough with filibustering

After saying it would address concerns around freedom of expression and the regulation of social media user content in its overhaul of the Broadcasting Act known as Bill C-10, the federal government Thursday introduced new amendments that will restrict the CRTC's regulatory tools. The Conservative Party says it still wants an immediate charter review. At a late Thursday night meeting, Liberal MP Julie Dabrusin brought forward a government amendment to Section 9.1 of the bill, that would “restrict the CRTC's order powers for social media web giants to expenditures, discoverability of Canadian creators of programs, and financial information for web giants,” she said. “The obligations are to invest a certain percentage of that platform's Canadian revenues into our cultural production and second, to promote and make discoverable our artists, our stories and our shared experiences,” she told reporters at a follow-up press conference Monday morning. When asked how that would play out in terms of regulation Dabrusin said YouTube “would have to, on occasion, from time to time, suggest Canadian creators.” She added that platforms like YouTube would have to make recommendations for viewers, but not be held to a certain quota of Canadian content that needs to be played on its site. At Thursday’s meeting Conservative MP Scott Aitchison said that the amendments came “at the last hour,” the committee should have more time to review and analyze its implications, and should prioritize sending the bill for charter review -- a motion which Conservative MP Rachael Harder, who is not an official member of the committee, brought forward last week. “I don't have a lot of trust right now, I've been called an extremist, because I've expressed some legitimate concerns from the people I represent about whether this bill doesn't infringe upon freedom of expression,” Aitchison said, referencing comments made last week by Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault that the “Conservative Party is listening to the most extremist element of their party,” during questioning. Dabrusin’s amendment was not voted on as Thursday’s meeting adjourned during debate. The Liberals “have dropped the ball ... without taking precautions to reassure users as to their freedom with sharing their content” and “culture is paying the price” for the Conservative using it as an opportunity to filibuster, according to Bloc Quebecois MP Martin Champoux in simultaneous translation toward the end of Friday's meeting. The committee spent most of its time on Thursday -- and all of its time on Friday -- dealing with its other contentious issue: Harder’s charter review. The motion for a charter review was successfully amended on Monday by NDP MP Heather McPherson, who put in place a timeline of 10 days for both the review to take place and for the ministers to appear before the committee. Thursday’s debate picked up with another amendment to Harder’s motion, brought forward by Dabrusin on Monday. When Dabrusin offered to withdraw her amendment, which needed unanimous approval, the Conservatives voted no and spoke for an hour on her amendment despite being opposed to it. Debate on Harder’s motion was adjourned through a dilatory motion brought forward by Liberal MP Anthony Housefather after Harder spoke on the point for an hour, even though all parties were opposed to the amendment. “I'm very very disappointed because I feel that this will just continue perpetually and there's no purpose in debating Ms. Dabrusin’s amendment because she does not even want it debated,” he said. On Friday, Housefather brought forward his own motion before the Heritage Committee, in hopes of reaching consensus on the issue. He proposed to continue with clause-by-clause amendments of the bill and have a charter statement follow as quickly as possible afterward. The motion also stipulated that the bill will not be disposed of until the charter statement is completed and until both the Minister of Justice and Heritage appear before the committee. “I believe that, as opposed to having hours and hours of debate and filibustering, and never proceeding anywhere, that this motion gets us to where we want to go,” he said. Harder noted that if the Minister of Justice found the bill was non-compliant in regards to the charter, after all the amendments had been carried, it would take unanimous consent to revisit the amended articles. “Which then allows certain individuals or artists to hold this bill hostage and have veto power to determine that actually no, they're not going to let us go back and make changes,” she said. Harder and Conservative MP Alain Rayes spoke to Housefather’s motion for the majority of the meeting until the floor was given to Champoux. “The cultural industry is wondering why we're wasting so much time on these discussions, while there's emergency,” he said, urging parties to come together. “We need to talk in the name of the people that will be affected by this bill and it's the cultural industry and media. Internet giants are causing a lot of damage to our industry, to our Canadian system of broadcasting, this is why we're here,” Champoux said. In relation to Harder’s concerns, he said the Bloc would never vote to approve the final bill if it was found to be non-compliant with the charter and called Housefather’s motion reasonable. Discussion on Housefather’s motion will continue Monday, followed by the government’s amendment’s brought forward by Dabrusin on Thursday. Harder’s motion also remains on the table and can be brought up for debate at any time. -- Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca and editing by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

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Libs now seek to restrict CRTC social media powers, Bloc says enough with filibustering

Broadcast | May 7, 2021

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