The Decentralists – Hot Topix: Regulation Rigamarole

Bill C-10 is a proposed amendment to the Canadian Broadcasting Act, introduced on November 3, 2020 by Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault during the second session of the 43rd Canadian Parliament. The bill seeks to amend the Broadcasting Act to account for the increased prominence of internet video and digital media, by adding undertakings that conduct “broadcasting” over the internet to the regulatory scope of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). 

Bill C-10 has faced criticism for granting a large amount of power to the CRTC, who are unelected regulators and receive very little guidance from Parliament or the government. Its unclear applicability to user-generated content on social media services has also faced concerns that it infringes freedom of expression