Canadian Journalists Urgent Message to the Government of Canada | Unpublished
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Canadian Journalists Urgent Message to the Government of Canada

May 3, 2020

Around the world, governments are moving to correct an historical inequality that dates back to the birth of digital media platforms.

In April 2020 alone, Australia and France both announced plans to make sure Google and Facebook pay their fair share, instead of exploiting tax loopholes while making billions of dollars off the back of original content producers.

We, the undersigned publishers representing the vast majority of Canadian newspapers, call on Ottawa to follow the example of France and Australia.

The situation is urgent, with media companies suffering huge advertising revenue declines because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Other governments recognize the need for speedy intervention. Both France and Australia have set deadlines to have mandatory solutions in place by July. That means paying for copyrighted content and sharing the advertising dollars and data that flow from it

We encourage the Federal Government to follow the advice of its own expert panel set up to review the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Acts, which recommended similar measures.

The model exists. The need is clear. Let’s apply those principles of fairness in Canada, and do it now.

Respectfully,

Andrew MacLeod

CEO

PostMedia

John Boynton

Publisher

Toronto Star

Bob Cox

Publisher

Winnipeg Free Press

Phillip Crawley

Publisher and CEO

The Globe and Mail

James C. Irving

Vice President

Brunswick News Inc.

Jonathon J.L. Kennedy

President and CEO

Glacier Media Group

Pierre-Elliott Levasseur

President

La Presse

Brian Myles

CEO

Le Devoir

Rick O’Connor

President and CEO

Black Press Media

Lyne Robitaille

President and Publisher

Quebecor