Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed concerns that the Liberals' Online News Act is hindering local outlets' ability to disseminate information to residents when they need it most, such as during wildfires.
He suggested that people simply tune in to CBC Radio.
During a press conference on Tuesday, a reporter for Kelowna Now told the prime minister that the recent Peachland wildfire reminded local outlets how important it is to be able to share information "quickly and effectively."
"Bill C-18 stands in our way to get back onto Facebook and Instagram," he lamented. "Are the Liberals looking for an alternative or rescinding that so we can get that news back on those important platforms?"
Carney replied by stating that "one of the roles of CBC/Radio-Canada is to provide unbiased, immediate local information," particularly when it comes to situations such as that which residents of Peachland found themselves in.
"That's one of the reasons why we've made the commitment to invest and reinforce, and actually change the governance of CBC/Radio-Canada," he added, "to ensure they are providing those essential services."
The prime minister went on to claim that his government is a "big believer" in local outlets and their ability to share news as quickly as possible, and said that he would "look for all avenues" to allow them to do that. He did not, however, make any mention of doing away with Bill C-18.
Bill C-18 was passed in 2023, and has since prevented Canadians from accessing or sharing news on certain social media sites. While Facebook and Instagram are no-go zones for news, X, Threads, and BlueSky still allow such content to be posted.
