Covid Journal, April 30, 2021
Liberals’ Bill C-10 Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen
Readers: please tell me you like net neutrality, right? The cornerstone of proper communication and distribution of services across the country? You also like third-party internet and cell phone services trying to provide better rates or services, right?
Most importantly, you like free speech, don’t you?
Well, if the Liberals have their way, that will soon be a thing of the past.
From Michael Geist, Canada’s authority on digital media regulation and law in Canada:
Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault and the Liberal government’s response to mounting concern over its decision to remove a legal safeguard designed to ensure the CRTC would not regulate user generated content has been denial. The department’s own officials told MPs that all programming on sites like Youtube would be subject to regulation, yet Guilbeault insisted to the House of Commons that user generated content would be excluded from regulation as part of Bill C-10, his Broadcasting Act reform bill.
However, based on new documents I recently obtained, it has become clear that Guilbeault and the government have misled the Canadian public with their response. In fact, the government effectively acknowledges that it is regulating user generated content in a forthcoming, still-secret amendment to Bill C-10. Amendment G-13, submitted by Liberal MP Julie Dabrusin on April 7th and likely to come before the committee studying the bill over the next week, seeks to amend Section 10(1) of the Broadcasting Act which specifies the CRTC’s regulatory powers. It states:
WHY would the Liberals risk their own government to introduce such a steaming pile of turd to satisfy traditional media controllers like Post Media, Bell and Rogers? Money, of course, but past that, there’s just NO LOGIC.
They’re putting legacy media companies ahead of free speech in Canada.
WTF?
Singh has declared that he and the NDP will support Bill C-10, despite the warnings from experts and pundits.
I think the NDP are being manipulated into thinking that ‘the scary internet giants’ are the bad guys here.
The true ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ – companies like Post Media and other deeply entrenched traditional media – are the root issue, wanting to protect their feifdom from any competiton.
During the Stephen Harper years, traditional companies had it easy because the Conservatives spent billions on propaganda campaigns related to anything and everything under the sun.
The Liberals have scaled back on media spending, pushing traditional media companies to take a different approach to protecting their domination over conversation in Canada.
Enter Bill C-10 in all it’s icky intent.
There is at least one petition making the rounds, but these tend to get ignored by those with agendas.
Open Media is asking you to ask the Liberals to make it stop.