Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday for stifling free expression in Canada. He labeled the federal government of Canada’s attitude to online streaming rules “shameful.” “Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful,” Musk wrote on X.
Musk’s remarks were in reaction to a piece by an American journalist who called Canada’s new rules “one of the world’s most repressive online censorship schemes.” “The Canadian government, armed with one of the world’s most repressive online censorship schemes, announces that all online streaming services that offer podcasts must formally register with the government to permit regulatory controls,” Glenn Greenwald wrote on X
This controversy arose when the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said on Friday that it is moving forward with its regulatory plan to modernize Canada’s broadcasting environment. Since the new plans were announced in May of last year, there has been widespread concern about increased regulatory control.
The Trudeau government’s intentions have sparked some debate, with some stakeholders claiming that the CRTC is overreaching. The CRTC’s proposal to force online streaming services to contribute to Canadian content production is one of the primary points of contention. Streaming providers have objected, claiming that it would put them at a competitive disadvantage with established broadcasters.
Another point of contention is the idea that the new CRTC measures would be utilized to suffocate Canadians’ internet activities. The CRTC is currently holding public consultations on proposed broadcasting framework amendments. The consultation period is scheduled to end in early 2024.
This is not the first time the Trudeau administration has been accused of violating free expression. Last year, Trudeau’s government used unprecedented emergency powers to give his administration additional authority in responding to trucker demonstrations.