[kwlug-disc] Fw: Bill C-10 is still broken: Vote No

Sat Aug 7 11:05:23 EDT 2021

I admit I haven't been following this. I read the Michael Geist post provided by Jason. In it, Geist supports the aims of the legislation, which is to increase discoverability of Canadian content by Canadian internet users. However, Geist claims that C-10 will have the opposite of its intended effect, and he doesn't give a convincing reason why this would be so. His arguments are fear based:
1. Any change from the status quo will be worse for Canadian artists. Because change is bad.
2. The rules for what is Canadian content are complex. Therefore, indie artists will fall between the cracks.
3. The new rules come from the government, and government regulation is bad. ("Bill C-10 would seek to place the government and the CRTC in command of the algorithm.")

I think that #3 is Geist's primary concern. Here's a Geist post about the April version of C-10, denouncing it as a threat to free speech. <https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2021/04/freedom-of-expression-under-attack-the-liberal-government-moves-to-have-the-crtc-regulate-all-user-generated-content/>

His first link is to a post by Google, wherein Google opposes the regulation. It is natural that Google would be opposed, because Google wants full control over the algorithm. For Google, any loss of control must be fought. But I can't give any weight to Google's desire not to be subject to government regulation.

Doug Moen.

On Sat, Aug 7, 2021, at 8:18 AM, Jason Eckert wrote:
> There are definitely legitimate concerns around C-10: https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2021/06/concerns-mount-over-bill-c-10s-unintended-consequences-to-canadian-creators/
> It's likely going to hurt digital-first Canadian creators (whose voices were not heard as this was pushed through).
> Luckily, if we have an election this fall, C-10 will die.
> And if we don't, the senate is probably going to do a comprehensive review of it, which will almost certainly mean that it won't pass in its current form.
>  
> 
> On Fri, Aug 6, 2021 at 11:21 PM Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org> wrote:
>> Cranky accidentally sent this from the wrong email account, so I am
>> forwarding it on his behalf. 
>> 
>> ----- Forwarded message from Jeff Smith <REDACTED> -----
>> 
>> Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2021 01:23:08 +0000
>> From: Jeff Smith <REDACTED>
>> To: KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>> Subject: Fw: Bill C-10 is still broken: Vote No
>> 
>> I feel like I was just lied to...
>> 
>> What do you guys think?
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> From: Louis, Tim - M.P. <Tim.Louis at parl.gc.ca>
>> Sent: 06 August 2021 17:51
>> To: Jeff Smith <REDACTED>
>> Subject: RE: Bill C-10 is still broken: Vote No
>> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> Thank you for writing to my office.
>> 
>> As you may be aware Bill C-10 has now passed in the House of Commons and is in the Senate for further review.
>> 
>> I worked closely with this legislation for months as a member of the Heritage Committee and am proud to support it. There is misinformation about Bill C-10, so I will share some clarifications with you.
>> 
>> I can assure you that this is not a censorship bill, it will not affect you as an individual and your right to post content online.
>> 
>> Our government understands how important it is that all Canadians are free to express themselves online, and we will continue to protect that right. After a thorough review, Justice Canada’s analysis has confirmed that Bill C-10 remains consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects Canadian’s freedom of speech.
>> 
>> Bill C-10 is not about controlling what Canadians post online. The bill will not apply to individuals who publish on social media platforms, as they will never be considered a broadcaster under the conditions of the Broadcasting Act. The bill’s obligations will apply to web giants, not Canadian users.
>> 
>> Bill C-10 will update the Canadian Broadcasting Act of 1991, created before social media existed. The bill will support Canadian artists and creators to ensure their work is seen by larger audiences.
>> 
>> Web giants have gone unregulated for too long as the digital economy has rapidly expanded. With Bill C-10, we are working to level the field between web giants and the local creators of our cultural content. The Bill would require foreign streaming services to provide information on their revenues in Canada, financially contribute to Canadian stories and music, and ensure that Canadian artists are more discoverable on their platforms.
>> 
>>  Thank you again for writing to my office about this issue.
>> 
>> Best,
>> 
>> Tim Louis, MP for Kitchener-Conestoga
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jeff Smith <REDACTED>
>> Sent: June 10, 2021 9:54 PM
>> To: Louis, Tim - M.P. <Tim.Louis at parl.gc.ca>
>> Subject: Bill C-10 is still broken: Vote No
>> 
>> To: MP Tim Louis
>> 
>> As your constituent, I am writing to demand you vote no to Bill C-10, An Act to Amend the Broadcast Act. Despite recent amendments to C-10 to address some of the concerns that have been raised around the Bill, C-10 continues to grant utterly inappropriate power to the CRTC to influence which user speech we see on the Internet and which we do not.
>> 
>> Supporting the production and distribution of Canadian cultural content on the Internet is a worthy objective. But the government’s decision to skip a full public consultation on how best to do that has made C-10 a poorly drafted disaster from the start, as problems and loopholes unforeseen by the government have cropped up again and again, and continue to do so.
>> 
>> While Bill C-10 is far from fixed, our government has abruptly ended parliamentary debate using a tool that has been used just three times in all of Canadian history. Many important amendments to improve the bill from every party will now never be considered, let alone voted on.
>> 
>> This is not what good governance looks like, and not a process I expect you as my elected representative to support.
>> 
>> Please vote NO on Bill C-10. The drafting process of this Bill has been deeply tainted from the start. I call on you to support a new conversation, this time with wide public input, on how best to support the flourishing of Canadian culture and creators online.
>> 
>> Sincerely,
>> 
>> Jeff Smith
>> N0B 2N0
>> 
>> 
>> ----- End forwarded message -----
>> 
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