The Conservative Party has promised to roll back legislation that led Meta Platforms to block news content on Facebook and Instagram in the country.
The Conservatives said they would introduce a Freedom of Speech Act to repeal Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which requires tech giants to pay Canadian news publishers for content shared on their platforms.
“We will support media freedom by introducing a Freedom of Speech Act to repeal Liberal censorship laws and restore Canadian news on Meta and other platforms,” the party said in its platform document.
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Meta blocked all Canadian news content on its platforms in response to the legislation, which became law in 2023. Google initially threatened similar action but later agreed to pay $100 million annually to news organizations.
The Conservative platform also includes a $25 million increase to the Local Journalism Initiative and $25 million in support for Indigenous language media.
Party leaders also reaffirmed plans to defund English-language CBC services while maintaining French-language Radio-Canada, proposing to transform the English broadcaster into a non-profit supported by donations and sponsorships.
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