MPs vote down Bloc motion asking for restoration of streaming levy

The House of Commons soundly defeated a Bloc Québécois motion asking the federal government to maintain funding requirements for foreign streaming companies, like Netflix Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Apple Inc. The motion, which came to a vote on Monday afternoon, was supported by Bloc and NDP MPs, as well as Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, B.C.), but opposed by every Liberal and Conservative MP, making for a margin of 298 to 23. Following the vote, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said in a statement that Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) "provided fresh proof today that one should never entrust one’s culture to others." “The Liberals persist in their abandonment of and indifference toward Quebec culture by refusing to restore support measures that were sacrificed in vain to appease Donald Trump," said Blanchet. "Let this be clear: the Bloc Québécois will not give up the fight for the future of our arts, our language, and our media—all of which lie at the heart of the Quebec nation’s identity." Motions are non-binding, meaning even if passed, the Liberals would not have been required to follow the Bloc’s proposal. The sovereigntists had asked the government to “uphold” CRTC decisions under the Online Streaming Act that introduced requirements for streamers to allocate 15 per cent of Canadian revenues toward Cancon production. “The cultural issue is at the core of the Quebec identity,” said Bloc MP Martin Champoux (Drummond, Que.), who moved the motion, in response to a question from The Wire Report last week. “The fact that Quebec and its culture and its language are in the middle of 400 million English speakers in North America…, it makes the matter even more important.” “We, the Bloc Québécois, have to be there as a safeguard for the culture.” In June, Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) asked the commission to review the decisions, which many viewed as a concession during sweeping bilateral trade discussions with the White House. Miller also promised to issue the CRTC a new policy direction, though it remains to be seen when it will be published. The Bloc motion also asked for the $600 million in federal funding for the cultural sector, which was promised by the Liberals earlier this year, to be immediately dispersed. Miller and Liberal MP David Myles (Fredericton—Oromocto, N.B.), who serves as parliamentary secretary for Canadian identity, have both stated the payments will be made soon, leading some industry stakeholders to speculate the funding will be included in next week’s federal budget. news@thewirereport.ca Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet.

MPs vote down Bloc motion asking for restoration of streaming levy

Regulatory |
By Wire Report Staff
|October 26, 2026

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MPs vote down Bloc motion asking for restoration of streaming levy

Regulatory | By Wire Report Staff |October 26, 2026

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Regulatory |
By Wire Report Staff
|October 26, 2026