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The Canadian government’s handling of the Online News Act, passed in June 2023, stands as a glaring example of institutional bias and manipulative overreach, masquerading as a noble effort to support journalism. This legislation, which forces tech giants like Meta and Google to pay news publishers for content hosted on their platforms, has devolved into a scheme that reeks of favoritism, deliberately propping up government friendly media while silencing voices that dare to challenge the status quo. For nearly two years, since Meta began blocking all news content on August 1, 2023, Canadians have been robbed of access to diverse information, with the government’s heavy hand orchestrating a system that cherry picks its allies and punishes dissenters. As of July 15, 2025, this charade has dragged on for one year and eleven months, a period marked by calculated exclusion and a chilling resemblance to authoritarian control over information.
The government’s bias is painfully evident in how it determines which news outlets are eligible for payments under the act. The eligibility criteria, set by the Canadian Radio television and Telecommunications Commission, require outlets to be Qualified Canadian Journalism Organizations, meaning they must be Canadian entities, employ at least two journalists, produce general interest news, and adhere to journalistic standards. On paper, these rules might seem reasonable, but in practice, they serve as a gatekeeping mechanism to funnel money to large, establishment media like CBC and CTV while sidelining smaller, independent, or critical outlets. CBC, the state funded broadcaster, and CTV, owned by the corporate giant Bell Media, rake in substantial portions of Google’s 100 million dollar annual contribution because their massive workforces and mainstream appeal align perfectly with the government’s vision of “acceptable” journalism. Meanwhile, outlets like Rebel News, known for its fierce criticism of government policies, were explicitly ruled ineligible by a Federal Court in September 2024, deemed unworthy for failing to meet nebulous journalistic standards. Juno News, a lesser known entity, faces a similar fate, with no evidence it qualifies, dismissed as unaccredited and unworthy of the government’s largesse. These exclusions are not accidents; they are deliberate, designed to starve dissenting voices of resources and visibility.
What makes this setup particularly insidious is the government’s role in defining what constitutes legitimate journalism. The requirement to adhere to journalistic standards, as judged by the CRTC, is a subjective trap that allows the government to exclude outlets it dislikes. Rebel News, for instance, was disqualified for producing content deemed too advocacy oriented, a label that conveniently targets its anti government stance. This is not about quality control; it’s about control, period. The government sets the rules, picks the referees, and decides who gets to play, creating a system where only outlets that toe the line receive financial lifelines. This mirrors the chilling tactics of authoritarian regimes, like China’s social credit system, where compliance with state approved behavior earns rewards, and dissent leads to punishment. In Canada, if you produce the “right” kind of news, you get a slice of the 100 million dollar pie; if you challenge the government too loudly, you’re not only denied funds but effectively erased from major platforms like Facebook, where Meta’s blanket news block ensures your voice is silenced.
The absurdity of blocking non eligible outlets like Rebel News and Juno News underscores the government’s complicity in this censorship scheme. Meta’s decision to block all news content, rather than pay under the act, affects every outlet, regardless of eligibility. But why should outlets that don’t even qualify for payments be swept up in this dragnet? It’s as if the government has crafted a policy so draconian that it punishes everyone, friend and foe alike, just to maintain its grip on the narrative. The fact that these non eligible outlets are blocked alongside CBC and CTV reveals the act’s true purpose: not to support journalism, but to control it. The government’s criteria ensure that only its preferred players thrive, while others are left to wither, their content inaccessible on major platforms. This has been going on for one year and eleven months, an outrageously long time for Canadians to be deprived of news access, all because the government insists on a flawed law that prioritizes its allies over the public’s right to information.
The lack of transparency in how funds are distributed only deepens the scandal. The Canadian Journalism Collective, tasked with allocating Google’s 100 million dollars, operates with minimal public oversight, leaving Canadians in the dark about who gets what and why. Reports from The Hub in April 2025 highlight how some outlets, likely CBC and CTV, were reluctant to disclose their payments during an election, fearing it would expose their reliance on government backed funds. This secrecy suggests a cozy relationship between the government and its chosen media, where large conglomerates benefit while smaller, critical voices are left scrambling. The government’s additional subsidies, like the 129 million dollars allocated in 2023 to support media, further tilt the scales, with no clear accountability for how these funds are distributed. It’s a rigged game, where the government not only sets the rules but ensures its friends win, while outlets that hold it accountable are systematically marginalized.
This situation is a grotesque betrayal of democratic principles. By crafting qualifications that exclude critical voices and supporting a system that leads to widespread news censorship, the Canadian government has created a media landscape where only its approved narratives flourish. The comparison to China’s social credit system is not hyperbolic; it’s a stark warning of what happens when a government uses financial incentives and regulatory power to shape information flow. For nearly two years, Canadians have been subjected to this manipulated environment, with no end in sight as the government cl…: The act’s failure to support diverse journalism has instead enabled a form of state sanctioned bias, where outlets like Rebel News and Juno News are not only denied funds but erased from public view on platforms like Facebook. This is not about saving journalism; it’s about controlling it, and the government’s refusal to address these flaws after one year and eleven months proves its commitment to this authoritarian approach. The Canadian public deserves better than a government that picks and chooses its media allies while silencing those who dare to speak truth to power.
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