Cardozo pushes government on broadcast spending

Andrew Cardozo of the Progressive Senators Group is urging the federal government to increase its advertising for broadcast news. His call comes as the Liberal government directed the CRTC to revisit its decision that streaming services should contribute 15 per cent of annual revenues to Canadian content (CanCon) funding. The Ontario senator is particularly concerned about news coverage. “Would the government, instead, consider spending 15 per cent of its advertising budget on Canadian news rather than the current amount of less than five per cent, something that would not cost the treasury any more money, or would they consider any other means of supporting Canadian news media?,” he asked during Senate Question Period on June 10. The government representative in the Senate, Pierre Moreau, did not respond directly to Cardozo’s suggestion but promoted the government’s handling of the Online Streaming Act. “The government is committed to ensuring that the Online Streaming Act strikes a balance between supporting Canadian culture, maintaining affordability for consumers and ensuring flexibility for broadcasters and streaming services,” Moreau replied. The Quebec senator said the CRTC is being asked to determine a rate that reflects current pressures on the broadcasting industry. “The government is also making a $600-million investment that will provide immediate relief and stability for Canadian creators and cultural industries,” he concluded. CMPA defends streaming rules at committee The next day, the Canadian Media Producers Association appeared before the House of Commons finance committee. The group’s senior VP of industry and policy, Alain Strati, and board chair Kyle Irving testified before the panel to give recommendations on the upcoming federal budget. They said concern about the streaming act underpinned their presentation. “This legislation was the result of a decade of public consultations, industry input, and dedicated policy work,” the pair told MPs. “It has the laudable goal of ensuring US streamers - who make billions from Canadian audiences - invest a portion of those revenues back into the production of Canadian stories.” They worried the government’s decision is pulling the rug out from under the future of CanCon, and asserted that weakening the act would be a historic mistake. The lobby group reminded the politicians that Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) had heralded the domestic broadcasting system earlier this year. “Where did this Prime Minister go?,” Strati and Irving asked. “Canada needs him back. Our cultural sovereignty as a nation is at stake.” ppark@thewirereport.ca

Cardozo pushes government on broadcast spending

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By Paul Park
|June 12, 2026

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Cardozo pushes government on broadcast spending

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