Online-streaming bill closer to passing after House OKs most Senate amendments

OTTAWA –

A Liberal authorities invoice that will require on-line streaming providers to contribute to Canadian content material is one step nearer to passing after the House of Commons authorised a lot of the Senate’s amendments to the proposed laws.

If handed, Bill C-11 would replace broadcasting guidelines to incorporate on-line streaming and require tech giants akin to YouTube, Netflix and Spotify to make Canadian content material out there to customers in Canada — or face steep penalties.

On Thursday night, the House agreed to undertake Senate amendments that reinforce the promotion of Indigenous languages and Black content material creators, and search to make sure that funds collected from tech giants go towards selling variety, fairness and inclusion.

The transfer acquired fast reward from those that advocate for the humanities and media trade.

“Canadians deserve the ability to see their own stories, culture and points of view included in their content options. That is what C-11 is ultimately about,” mentioned Neal McDougall, assistant govt director of the Writers Guild of Canada, in a press release Friday.

However, Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs rejected a key modification that YouTube had advocated for, which was worded so as to add additional protections for individuals who add content material and defend them from authorities regulation.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has mentioned his authorities is towards the modification as a result of it might create a loophole for giant firms to keep away from following the regulation.

The House additionally rejected a Senate modification that will have required firms to confirm customers’ ages earlier than they entry sexually express materials on-line, and a change that will have prohibited CBC from producing sponsored content material.

FRIENDS, a public broadcasting advocacy group, mentioned “powerful, well-financed interests” have lined up towards the invoice. The group mentioned in a press release that it’s going to proceed to help the aim of the invoice, which is to assist Canadian voices inform Canadian tales.

For the final yr, the proposed regulation has come beneath intense scrutiny amid accusations from firms and critics who mentioned it left an excessive amount of room for presidency management over user-generated content material and social-media algorithms.

The U.S. authorities has additionally raised considerations that the regulation might discriminate towards American firms, with some U.S. senators calling for a commerce crackdown.

The Opposition Conservatives have fought closely towards its passage all through varied levels of the invoice, dubbing it a “censorship” regulation as a result of they argue it’s designed to intrude with the algorithms that have an effect on the content material individuals see.

Big tech firms defined of their testimony to committees finding out the invoice that they design their algorithms so every person sees content material particularly tailor-made to them. The algorithms are formed by how a lot time individuals spend on content material, together with video, footage and music, whether or not they like or share it and in the event that they click on on related content material.

“Instead of having algorithms that give people things they want to see, there will be algorithms that give people things the government wants them to see,” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre mentioned within the House of Commons earlier this month.

But the Liberal authorities continues to insist the invoice will not regulate on a regular basis content material creators, or require social media and massive tech firms to change their algorithms.

Because the House rejected among the senators’ amendments, the invoice will now return to the Senate, the place it should move one other vote earlier than it might change into regulation. That won’t occur till later this month, when Parliament returns from a two-week Easter break.

Senators might select to amend the invoice once more and ship it again to the House, however that method is uncommon.

“The Senate made meaningful contributions to the legislative process, and as a result, Bill C-11 has been improved,” Sen. Marc Gold, the federal government consultant within the Senate, mentioned in a press release.

“I am optimistic that a majority of senators will accept the decision made by the elected chamber.”

For these questioning if the Senate could be able to reply at the moment/move C-11 forward of two week Parl break, reply isn’t any. From @SenMarcGold: “The consideration of the message on Bill C-11 will be a key priority when the Senate sitting resumes in April.” https://t.co/sQRl2RrXr6

— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) March 31, 2023

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 31, 2023