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Ottawa is capping the CBC’s share of the funds under the Online News Act at $7-million, with broadcasters gaining no more than $30-million of the $100-million in Google money.
The Globe and Mail’s Marie Woolf reports here that by capping the funds to the CBC and private broadcasters, almost two-thirds of the funds go to written media, including newspapers.
To qualify for the Google money, news groups will need to show that their content is available through Google search.
The final regulations to the Online News Act, published by the federal government on Friday, follow months of negotiations between Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge and Google. They set out how the legislation will apply in practice.
The decision to cap the amount that CBC/Radio Canada and the broadcasters received will ensure there is a larger pot of money available for a range of news businesses, including local media and those serving Francophone and Indigenous communities.
Google will have the option to pay into a “collective,” a type of fund run by news businesses, which will distribute the money, with the system overseen by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The $100-million figure Google will have to inject into the news industry is far lower than the $172-million originally estimated in draft regulations.
Because of its size, CBC/Radio Canada initially appeared poised to receive a third of the money from Google. The public broadcaster employs about a third of the journalists in the country.
The text of the regulations are posted here.
This is the last Politics Briefing newsletter of 2023. Thanks for reading this year. All the best for the holidays. See you for continued political briefing on Jan. 2.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. Today’s newsletter is co-written with Bill Curry. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you’re reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
U.S. congressional members push Ottawa to designate Islamic Revolutionary Guards as terrorist entity - In a letter sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday, 14 members of the House of Representatives emphasized the urgency of adding the IRGC to Canada’s terrorist list, citing Iran’s alleged involvement in the funding, training and support of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. Story here.
Liberals, NDP push deadline for pharmacare bill to beginning of March - NDP Health Critic Don Davies said that the two parties have extended discussions to produce legislation by March 1, 2024.
Hundreds of protesters swarm Trudeau event in Vancouver to call for end to military support for Israel - Demonstrators lay under white sheets outside the Westin Bayshore hotel in Coal Harbour, where Trudeau was speaking at a private Liberal Party fundraiser. Surrounding those on the ground, several hundred more were seen waving Palestinian flags and signs saying “Free Palestine” amid the continuing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Story here.
MPs challenge university chiefs to say if genocide of Jews violates their conduct codes - The letter was signed by former public safety minister Marco Mendicino, ex-justice minister David Lametti, Anthony Housefather, Ben Carr and Anna Gainey. Mr. Mendicino and Mr. Lametti were dropped from cabinet in the shuffle earlier this year.
CSIS to hire impartial reviewer as part of human rights settlement with Black officer - The Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service say the intelligence agency will also publish an executive summary of the specialist’s findings and recommendations. Story here.
Global Affairs offers ‘deepest regrets’ to ‘Inuit and Indigenous communities’ over AI-generated image - After The Globe and Mail contacted Global Affairs to inquire about this image, and mentioned some said the image featured on X appeared to be AI-generated, the department deleted the post.
Canada’s Beverley McLachlin defends role in Hong Kong court system ahead of Jimmy Lai trial - Ms. McLachlin, who has resisted previous calls to step down, says she is staying because she believes the courts are still independent. Story here.
Senate passes Liberal bill that enshrines handgun freeze, targets ghost guns - The legislation, known as Bill C-21, also includes a ban on assault-style firearms that fall under a new technical definition. It would apply to such guns designed and manufactured after the bill comes into force.
Toronto police disproportionately stop, search Black people: report - The report, From Impact to Action, is the third and final publication out of a public inquiry launched in 2017 to address anti-Black racism, discrimination and profiling by the country’s largest municipal police service. Story here.
Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas square is being renamed - City council has voted to rename the key downtown location to Sankofa Square, and recommended a host of other landmarks be stripped of the Dundas name over connections to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Story here.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons - Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons Dec. 15, accessible here. The House of Commons is scheduled to break Friday for the holidays and will not resume sitting until Monday Jan. 30.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day - Chrystia Freeland hosts a meeting of federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers.
Ministers on the Road - National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, in the Quebec town of Windsor, made an infrastructure announcement. Defence Minister Bill Blair and General Wayne Eyre, the chief of defence staff, are scheduled to visit Latvia today and Saturday as part of a trip that also includes stops in Poland on Sunday and Monday. Families Minister Jenna Sudds, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, along with Prince Edward Island’s Education Minister Natalie Jameson are in Charlottetown to make an announcement on affordable child care. Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan and Carolyn Bennett, MP for Toronto–St. Paul’s are to tour Billy Bishop airport to mark the first day of new requirements to provide menstrual products at no cost to employees in federally regulated workplaces.
Macklem Speech - Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem was scheduled to deliver an end-of-year speech to the Canadian Club Toronto, with the text posted on the bank’s website at 12:25 ET.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Private meetings in the Vancouver area and Justin Trudeau made a housing announcement.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was scheduled to participate virtually in Commons proceedings from Toronto, and then catch a flight to Victoria.
No schedules provided for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail’s podcast, Globe reporters Mike Hager and Colin Freeze discuss Kenneth Law, a Mississauga man who has been charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder. Police allege he helped people end their lives by selling them sodium nitrite online. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
Tony Keller (The Globe and Mail) on whether the carbon tax is doomed: “The carbon tax is marked by political original sin. And Canada may not have enough forgiveness, understanding or grace to save it. Politicians seeking election and re-election know it’s best to govern according to the Santa Claus principle: Put the toys in the front window; keep the matter of how they were paid for in a backroom under poor lighting and with irregular visiting hours. The carbon tax, beloved of eggheads such as your humble correspondent, is designed to do the opposite. It sends you a regular bill, day after day, and hides the toys in the attic.”
Timothy N.J. Antoine (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how, amid the climate crisis, Canada must do more to help developing economies: “In a little-reported event at the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference last week, leading countries and financial institutions joined Canada in embracing financial reforms that support those who are vulnerable to climate change. Such progress shows that Canada can be a leader in the response to the climate crisis – and also that it can do even more.”
The Globe and Mail’s editorial board writes that the West must never give up on Ukraine: “For the moment, Canada’s support for Ukraine is not in question. The new U.S. and EU aid could still come through, and efforts are being made to end the truckers’ blockade.”
But the West’s strong unified response in the 22 months since Russia’s invasion – a heartening flood of money and equipment that helped Ukraine win unexpected victories – is starting to show cracks.
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