News Media Canada sees ‘zero evidence’ of shift away from Online News Act after meeting with Miller’s office

Reports of the Online News Act’s death have been greatly exaggerated, according to News Media Canada CEO Paul Deegan. Deegan, who leads the country’s leading association of newspaper publishers, said there’s no indication that Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) is eager to abandon the idea that large tech companies should pay for news content appearing on their platforms, as legislated under the Online News Act. “I certainly believe the government of Canada is not going to sell out Canadian culture to a bullying administration,” Deegan said in an interview with The Wire Report, referencing the recent breakdown in trade discussions between Canada and the U.S. “Obviously, people are appropriately tight-lipped about what was going on, but we feel assured that the government of Canada has our back when it comes to media policy.” Earlier this week, Deegan and News Media Canada met with Brian MacKay, deputy chief of staff to Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.), CRTC broadcasting lead Scott Shortliffe, and senior civil servants in the Department of Canadian Heritage, including deputy minister Francis Bilodeau. The meetings came days after news reports suggested Canadian negotiators were prepared to sacrifice the Online News Act in an effort to secure an improved trading arrangement with the U.S. Carney ultimately pulled out of discussions at the eleventh hour, leading the U.S. to implement 50 per cent tariffs on a variety of Canadian goods. “I think the government 100 per cent understands the value of news and understands the value of ensuring that news is viable,” said Deegan. “Obviously, the Online News Act is one way of ensuring that the news business is viable across the country.” “And I see zero evidence of any shift on news policy.” Miller’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Since Carney assumed the Prime Minister's Office last year, some experts had theorized the new administration was looking to move away from the ‘link tax’ approach adopted under the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18. Despite Alphabet Inc.’s Google annually earmarking $100-million to the Canadian news ecosystem, Meta Platforms Inc. has been less willing to adhere to Ottawa’s approach. More than three years ago, Meta pulled news content from Facebook and Instagram, which precluded the company from paying the requisite fees. As such, the legislation has continuously been a political lightning rod since Justin Trudeau’s government introduced it in 2022, and it still faces ardent opposition from the Conservatives. Ottawa has sought to negotiate the return of news content to Facebook and Instagram, and was brought a proposal from the social media giant earlier this summer, as reported by Politico, though the issue was expected to be influenced by the trade situation. Other countries facing similar challenges, like Australia, have pursued a legislative resolution that would force platforms to reinstate news content, but Miller told The Wire Report earlier this year that he’d prefer to find a path forward with Meta at the negotiation table. dlegree@thewirereport.ca

News Media Canada sees ‘zero evidence’ of shift away from Online News Act after meeting with Miller’s office

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|August 26, 2026

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News Media Canada sees ‘zero evidence’ of shift away from Online News Act after meeting with Miller’s office

Regulatory | By Davis Legree |August 26, 2026

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