CRTC

Canadians are united not by hockey or poutine or some other overplayed national stereotype, writes columnist Max Fawcett — they're bound together by unreasonably high cellphone bills.

Online platforms like Netflix and Spotify may end up spending more than $800 million on Canadian content over the next three years under a series of policy changes the federal government has proposed.

The minister responsible for overhauling Canada's broadcasting and telecommunications sectors tried to reassure Canadians on Monday, February 3, 2020, that the federal government is not preparing to license news outlets.

Consumer advocates say a rare consensus is forming among the major political parties ahead of the federal election that Canadians need protecting from gouging by the country's big telecom companies.

Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly has delivered a stern warning to internet giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, that the federal government is planning a crackdown.

The portrayal of Canada's diversity on television has improved over the last decade, but there's still a lack of programming representing people with disabilities and the Indigenous population.

The federal Liberals have put together a star−studded cast to help choose new members of the public broadcaster’s board of directors.

Two Liberal MPs, Bob Nault and Wayne Easter, have also asked the CRTC to back down, and have written to several policy-makers warning the decision is costing the Canadian economy tens of millions.

Even the most hardened politicians succumbed to the pain of global tragedy this week, as Parliament Hill reeled with shock and outrage.

Large broadcasters will be given more flexibility — but not more money — to keep local stations open under the new regulatory framework.

"It is not the role of the CRTC, it is not the role of the government to decide how this increasingly complex market should evolve," Bernier said.

The National Do Not Call List allows consumers to register their phone number with the list in order to stop receiving calls from telemarketers.