Storm clouds pass by the Peace Tower and Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday August 18, 2020. The Liberal government's controversial online streaming bill is back before the Senate today, where it will need a final vote before it official becomes law, crushing the hopes of content-creators who fought against it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – The Liberal government’s controversial online-streaming bill is back in the upper chamber today, where a senator who opposed it expects it to pass.
After more than a year of debate and revisions, Alberta Sen. Paula Simons says she would really like to see Bill C-11 “done and dusted” this week.
She says this is not because she wants to ram it through, but because the Senate has already shown its worth through changes to the bill.
Last month, the House of Commons adopted most of the Senate’s amendments, which reinforce the promotion of Indigenous languages and Black content creators.
They would also seek to ensure that funds collected from tech giants go toward promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
If passed, Bill C-11 would update broadcasting rules to include online streaming and require tech giants such as YouTube, Netflix and Spotify to make Canadian content available to users in Canada – or face steep penalties.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023.
