The Canadian government is engaged in ongoing discussions with Meta regarding the potential reinstatement of online news on Facebook as part of the CUSMA review process. Hermine Landry, press secretary to Culture Minister Mark Miller, emphasized that the government has always been open to dialogue on these matters and has been actively engaging with digital platforms since the implementation of the Online News Act in 2023.
Under the Online News Act, tech giants such as Google and Meta are required to compensate media outlets for sharing or utilizing their news content. In a recent development, Google and the government reached an agreement in the fall of 2023, enabling Google to continue sharing Canadian news online while providing annual payments totaling $100 million to news organizations. In contrast, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, opted to remove all news content from its platforms to avoid paying fees to news providers.
The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, highlighted the Online News Act as a trade concern alongside other issues such as the Online Streaming Act, dairy access improvements, and restrictions on the sale of U.S. alcohol in Canada. Greer stated that the CUSMA review, scheduled to commence formally in July, hinges on resolving these contentious issues.
Minister Miller, acknowledging the U.S. administration’s stance on the online streaming and news acts, confirmed ongoing discussions with Meta to ensure Canadians can access news online. These discussions, led by Dominic LeBlanc, the minister overseeing Canada-U.S. trade relations, are confidential, according to Landry.
Miller emphasized Canada’s willingness to be adaptable regarding the Online News Act but asserted that the U.S. would not dictate the terms of this flexibility. He reiterated the act’s primary objective of safeguarding news providers in the evolving digital landscape.