Bill C-11 Trudeau’s Trojan Horse

If you are on the wrong side of controversial legislation, It’s usually hated for the policy changes it will make, or new laws that it will enforce. Those changes are usually clearly stated and therefore easy to choose sides over. The “Online Streaming Act,” also known as Bill C-11 isn’t like that. It’s deliberately filled with ambiguity and is purposefully void of exactness, which creates an atmosphere of fear and resentment.

There are definitely two distinct sides to the bill. The side that opposed its passing, believes in the freedom of speech without burden or oppression. Those supporting the bill want to reign in and control that freedom, which essentially eliminates it.

Freedom, especially when it applies to speech, is like pregnancy. You’re either pregnant or you’re not, there is no in between. Speech is like that. If your speech is limited, suppressed, or oppressed then true free speech doesn’t exist.

The cover story and beginning of the hidden agenda, is that the changes which are planned are good for Canada. However, the changes are not specifically defined, which is never good.

Bill C-11 is aimed at ensuring popular social media platforms such as Netflix, Crave, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube are subjected to “Canadian content requirements” and regulations comparable to traditional broadcasters. The policy change comes with a requirement for these platforms to spend millions investing in Canadian content and creators.

Canadian content requirements, …. as established by who? Not the Canadian public. The change will require an additional investment of millions of dollars, I wonder who that will benefit? I can assure you, it wont be the Canadian public.

Not surprisingly, the theme of this Bill is based on control and supported by money. The liberals want to control what you read and see, while embezzling those that provide the controlled and watered-down content.

The Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been named as the regulatory body that will implement the plan.

Bill C-11 creates a new category of broadcast known as “online undertakings,” spelling out in the Broadcasting Act certain requirements for platforms that publish programs online, including social media companies. The legislation would give the CRTC greater powers, including the ability to impose financial penalties for entities who violate parts of the Act. Through this legislation, Liberals are also seeking to update the Canadian broadcasting system to take into consideration diversity in their programming, accessibility needs, and reflections of Indigenous culture.

Testifying before the Senate committee debating the passage of the bill, Stewart Reynolds, AKA Brittlestar, voiced the concerns of many.

“Forcing or attempting to force YouTube, TikTok or other platforms to prioritize Canadian content may be well intentioned, but it is naïve… Forcing people to view content because it’s Canadian does not encourage people to like that content. It is more likely, I feel, to breed negative perceptions of Canadian content from the user. If they know a video is being shown to them primarily because it’s Canadian and not because it is what the user is searching for, it can make the video seem inferior regardless of whether it is or not. It’s like going to a restaurant with corn content or corncon rules. Even though you order the Alberta sirloin, you receive a bowl of corn. Good, perhaps, but not what you wanted.”

Internet advocacy organization, Open Media, also petitioned the Senate to try and ensure more stringent protections for content against regulations. Director Matt Hatfield stated it this way:

“Without this amendment, we’re relying on the good behavior of the CRTC and the minister of Canadian heritage to leave our content alone, today, and under every future minister and commissioner. Even a good policy direction from minister Rodriguez that puts on a few guardrails will not fix that; it just pushes the risk down the road.”

This is a bill that grants power, without defining how that power will be utilized. Everyone that provides online content is now in a state of limbo as the CRTC constructs the framework of what can and can’t be done. This has empowered liberals with a freehand to construct a cancel culture and eliminate anything that they deem to be objectionable.

Trudeau’s trojan horse has placed freedom of the press and free speech in general on the brink of extinction. To say liberals are progressive is an oxymoron.

Evelyn Beatrice Hall once said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” That is a declaration of free speech. Trudeau’s liberals only want Canadians to read and hear what they deem as acceptable.

Beware Canada, Absolute power corrupts …. Absolutely.