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.
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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