Bill C-10 headed back to House of Commons as debate time runs out

Bill C-10 is heading back to the House of Commons as the clock has run out for debate over the legislation’s impact on freedoms.

The Canadian Press reports that a House of Commons committee was forced to wrap up its review of the bill on June 11th.

Bill C-10 would give the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) the power to regulate online digital giants like Netflix and YouTube.

The bill has been stalled due to concerns that it would give the CRTC too much power and that it would infringe on Canadians’ charter rights. The committee was conducting a clause-by-clause review of the bill to examine the possible consequences of the legislation.

However, the committee was forced to conclude its review due to a motion to cut short its deliberations passed by the Liberals with support from the Bloc Quebecois.

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault tabled the legislation in November 2020 with the intention to regulate online platforms such as Netflix and Spotify and had stated that the goal of the proposed bill is to ensure online streaming services contribute to the creation and production of Canadian content.

Controversy around the proposed legislation arose when the Liberals removed a part of the bill that exempted user-generated content from CRTC regulation. Experts stated that changes would infringe on free speech and expression.

The government has since made amendments to make it clear that individuals and user-generated content won’t be affected.

Guilbeult has accused the conservatives of blocking the bill and stalling its passage through parliament. As the bill heads back to the House of Commons, there will be more interventions.

Image credit: @StevenGuilbeault

Source: The Canadian Press