OTTAWA --
The Liberal authorities has revived a invoice subjecting streaming firms, similar to Netflix, to the identical guidelines as conventional Canadian broadcasters.
The On-line Streaming Act, launched Wednesday, would power net companies to supply a set quantity of Canadian content material and make investments closely in Canada's cultural industries, together with movie, tv and music.
Invoice C-11, as it's recognized in Parliament, updates the 1991 Broadcasting Act which predates the web revolution that modified the best way individuals watch movie and video content material and hearken to music.
If handed, streaming companies, similar to Netflix, Crave and Spotify, could be regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Fee and required to put money into Canadian cultural enterprises.
They might additionally must decide to mirror variety of their programming, together with Indigenous content material.
Invoice C-11 updates controversial sections of a earlier invoice which critics mentioned may result in the regulation of individuals posting movies on YouTube.
Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez mentioned at a press convention Wednesday that "cat movies" or social-media "influencers" wouldn't be coated by the invoice.
The up to date laws would solely cowl business social media content material -- similar to skilled music movies -- and wouldn't embody in style residence movies posted on YouTube, similar to footage of kids or pets behaving in an amusing method.
Rodriguez mentioned the federal government had "listened to issues round social media and we mounted it."
Rodriguez mentioned he deliberate to write down to the CRTC to ask it to outline exactly what constituted business social-media content material, and what wouldn't qualify.
Jeanette Patell, head of presidency affairs at YouTube Canada, mentioned its focus was the "curiosity of the hundreds of Canadian digital creators and the thousands and thousands of Canadians who use YouTube each day."
"We predict the federal government shares this curiosity," she mentioned. "We're nonetheless reviewing the impacts of the laws on our platform, and look ahead to working with them on this necessary situation."
The earlier invoice proposing to modernize the Broadcasting Act didn't get via the Senate earlier than the September common election, although it was handed by the Home of Commons with the backing of the Bloc Quebecois and NDP.
John Nater, the Conservative Occasion's heritage critic, maintains the invoice was flawed and despatched a letter final week to Rodriguez calling on him to halt plans to reintroduce it.
The Canadian Media Producers Affiliation, which represents impartial manufacturing firms, welcomed the brand new invoice and mentioned it might "reinforce Canadian cultural sovereignty, requiring that international tech giants play by the identical guidelines as Canadian firms."
"The On-line Streaming Act should be certain that Canada's indie producers have a good alternative to barter with content material consumers to personal, management and monetize the mental property that they develop and produce," mentioned affiliation president Reynolds Mastin.
Stephane Cardin, head of public coverage at Netflix Canada, mentioned the corporate is "investing in Canadian creators and dealing with business companions to carry Canadian tales to the world."
"We're reviewing the brand new laws, however help a forward-looking and versatile framework that acknowledges how completely different gamers contribute to our inventive system," Cardin mentioned.
Critics have raised issues that the invoice's definition of what constitutes Canadian content material may exclude movies made in Canada with Canadian actors if key figures, similar to a author, director and producer, are from outdoors the nation.
Music written and produced by Canadian artists primarily based within the U.S. may also be deemed not Canadian, critics say.
Rodriguez mentioned he would ask the CRTC to obviously state what constitutes Canadian content material.
"The On-line Streaming Act will assist make it possible for our cultural sector works for Canadians and helps the following technology of artists and creators on this nation," he added.
Nater mentioned he supported the creation of a degree taking part in area between massive international streaming companies and Canadian broadcasters however was involved that the invoice impacts "the rights and freedoms of Canadians on the web." He mentioned the Tories would oppose the laws if these issues usually are not addressed.
Peter Julian, the NDP's heritage critic, mentioned he would undergo the brand new invoice "line by line" to see if it addressed the issues within the earlier model.
Marla Boltman, government director of Buddies of Canadian Broadcasting, mentioned that updating the Broadcasting Act is lengthy overdue and sorely wanted to carry large tech into the Canadian regulatory system.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Feb. 2, 2022.
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