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Canadian Streaming Content Becomes a US Trade Issue (www.cbc.ca) 229

Posted by BeauHD from the streaming-sovereignty dept.
Canada's cultural-content rules have become a flashpoint in its trade fight with the U.S., after American negotiators reportedly demanded that Ottawa drop requirements for streaming services to promote Canadian and French-language content. Canada refused, even as it has already backed away from some financial levies on streamers. "We were not prepared to compromise on our sovereignty, the protection of the French language, and our culture," Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a speech on Saturday after trade talks collapsed. CBC.ca reports: Ottawa has long required broadcasters to promote and support Canadian content (Cancon), all the way back to song quotas for AM radio stations. In 1991, the government brought in the Broadcasting Act. The law states that "the Canadian broadcasting system shall be effectively owned and controlled by Canadians" and that the Canadian broadcasting system should "serve to safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada." But decades later, the rising popularity in Canada of streaming platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime and Spotify raised questions about Cancon and broadcasting rules. Video and audio streaming services were not, for example, required to support and promote Cancon, but their TV and radio counterparts were.

Looking to address the imbalance, the former Trudeau government brought forward a bill in 2022 to update the Broadcasting Act, called the Online Streaming Act. "Canadian broadcasters have invested in and introduced us to the incredible Canadian programs that so many of us love. We are updating our laws so online streamers have to contribute in a similar and equitable way," a 2022 government news release said. The legislation was controversial from the start, with the government and supporters saying it was a necessary evolution of Canada's media laws in the digital age, while opponents expressed concerns that it was overreach and an attempt to regulate the internet.

American streamers and digital media companies opposed the legislation fiercely. The bill passed with amendments and became law in April 2023, but the government delegated much of its interpretation -- including how much money streamers would have to contribute to Cancon -- to Canada's broadcast regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). But getting streaming companies to pay up has been a long and confusing saga. [...]. As for why the U.S. government is so invested in the issue? Mariane Bourcheix-Laporte, a postdoctoral fellow in the communication studies and media arts department at McMaster University in Hamilton, said it could be about power.

"The Americans have had, since after World War II, a very strong cultural policy of pushing out American content into the world," Bourcheix-Laporte, who has worked with the CRTC, said. "This has been a strategy -- a soft-power strategy -- for the American government, in parallel to their military strategies and political alliances strategies."
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Canadian Streaming Content Becomes a US Trade Issue More

Canadian Streaming Content Becomes a US Trade Issue

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  • Go Doug Ford! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @04:07PM (#66306658)

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford doubled down on saying U.S. President Donald Trump could "kiss my ass" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada... [www.cbc.ca]

    • Ya, he really handled the situation very well, something he's not really known for, but I have to agree with his take!

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Z00L00K ( 682162 )

      We are now in Canadian Bacon [wikipedia.org] territory.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dskoll ( 99328 )

      I love that Doug Ford continues the stereotype of the polite Canadian. We all know that what he was thinking was way worse than what he said.

    • Doug Ford could be Prime Minister one day. I say that in all seriousness.

      • I wonder if he could run for the US Senate. That kind of talk would be a refreshing change from all the licking of ass and boot. (The flavors must pair well.)

        • I wonder if he could run for the US Senate. That kind of talk would be a refreshing change from all the licking of ass and boot. (The flavors must pair well.)

          Doug Ford is 61 years old. He is not an American citizen at the moment.

          If he quit the Ontario Premiership, moved to the USA, and became a permanent resident right now (not sure how) he could become a US citizen in 5 years (3 if he married an American.)

          After 9 years as a US citizen, he could run for the US Senate. He would be 76 (or 74) years old.

          In short, it looks highly unlikely that he could (or even would) run for the US Senate.

  • "Trade issue" my ass (Score:5, Informative)

    by dskoll ( 99328 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @04:14PM (#66306680) Homepage

    Donald Trump negotiated and signed CUSMA in 2018, calling it the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country [archives.gov].

    Then he unilaterally breaks the deal, applies illegal tariffs on Canadian goods (by the way, tariffs are consumption taxes on American consumers, in case you didn't realize that) and then tries strong-arming Canada into giving up its sovereignty.

    No wonder our negotiators walked away. Fuck that shit. At this point, it's a trade war, and Canada's not going to talk without an attitude adjustment from the USA. For sure, Canada will feel a ton of economic pain... a lot more than the USA. We will definitely suffer. But Canadians are united and willing to take pain, while Americans are hopelessly divided and completely unwilling to endure any sort of economic pain.

    I assume Canadian tariffs will target swing states and MAGA states. Anything we can do to hurt the MAGA bastards and hurt the Republicans' chances in the mid-terms is the most productive thing we can do to get the US-Canada trading relationship back on track.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ukoda ( 537183 )

      For sure, Canada will feel a ton of economic pain

      When dealing with trump it is was always going to be a lose-lose situation. If you had accepted the USA conditions you would lose more in the long term so I think Canada has done the right thing. Canada has earned the worlds respect for taking proactive steps to protect itself by diversifying its trade etc. I am keen for our country to join in a free trade agreement with Canada given our common values and attitudes.

    • Re:"Trade issue" my ass (Score:5, Insightful)

      by ceoyoyo ( 59147 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @05:15PM (#66306838)

      Then he unilaterally breaks the deal, applies illegal tariffs on Canadian goods

      That's the real problem. The US can't sign any binding agreements. Even if their congress ratifies them, which is a big if, they have enough emergency executive powers that any random president can just decide they'd rather not abide by them.

      Even if the demands hadn't been ridiculous, it's insane to sign any kind of agreement that results in lasting changes when the other side can just change their mind any time they want. That goes for trade, defence, nuclear non-proliferation. The US is going to find out that their perfidy has very high costs for everyone.

    • Re:"Trade issue" my ass (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Sebby ( 238625 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @05:30PM (#66306856) Journal

      For sure, Canada will feel a ton of economic pain... a lot more than the USA.

      Likely, without a doubt some pain; everyone knows it was always going to be painful regardless, but now that pain is going to be under Canada's own terms, instead of the US' terms.

    • Re:"Trade issue" my ass (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Kernel Kurtz ( 182424 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @05:52PM (#66306890)

      Donald Trump negotiated and signed CUSMA in 2018, calling it the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country [archives.gov].....Then he unilaterally breaks the deal

      Yes, the lack of a deal in the current case is tempered by the fact that any deal with Trump is meaningless anyway, his word is worth less than nothing and agreements with him might as well be written on toilet paper. Rest assured the entire world knows this and couches their expectations appropriately.

      • Re:"Trade issue" my ass (Score:5, Insightful)

        by shilly ( 142940 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @06:04PM (#66306918)

        I would actually go further, and say that signing a deal with him isn't merely not worth the paper it's written on, it's actively harmful: people waste time and effort negotiating, end up agreeing to a lot of stuff that's really bad for them, and he still fucks them over and they are very often taken by surprise, despite the fact they shouldn't be, because people are used to deals having some kind of binding effect and it's tough to break away from that psychology.

        • people are used to deals having some kind of binding effect and it's tough to break away from that psychology.

          I think in particular because we are talking about the USA, which used to be a serious country, indeed a world leader. It's kind of a drastic shock that they have become a banana republic almost overnight, somewhat akin to waking up to the sun rising in the west. I can imagine it's shocking to a shit ton of decent Americans too,

          • As an American, I can say it was *all* very predictable, other than maybe the speed at which it has happened and the severity and details of its occurrence. I personally have been preparing for this for decades. Many Americans I know didn't see it or understand the potential consequences, resisting my efforts to get out in advance of the collapse. Now they're experiencing it. Err, the ones that are not white with large stock portfolios, anyway. My summary would be that most Americans don't understand and th

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jaa101 ( 627731 )

      tariffs are consumption taxes on American consumers

      But, if tariffs only hurt US consumers, then Canada wouldn't care. Of course, increasing the prices of Canadian goods means that Canadian companies sell less of them and/or reduce their selling price. Which hurts Canadians as well as hurting Americans.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by gtall ( 79522 )

      I don't think the American side had some vague idea of pushing "American power". This was simply another example of Dear Leader trying to impose his dyspeptic will on another entity, in this case, Canada. Similarly, the "American side" (which is somewhat of a joke considering it included that bootlicker Lutnick) demanded Canada rein in its ability to pursue other trading deals with other countries.

      A similar thing is happening with that other bootlicker, Bessent who is claiming Economic D-Day (or some such s

  • Content (Score:2, Insightful)

    by JBMcB ( 73720 )

    "The Americans have had, since after World War II, a very strong cultural policy of pushing out American content into the world,"

    That's what every country does. Al-Jazeera doesn't push content about Brazil. The BBC doesn't push content about Lithuanians. French film companies don't produce movies about Korean ex-pats living in Japan, and Japanese film companies don't produce dramas about winemaking in Bordeaux.

    People can watch whatever they like. The "Made in Canada" laws are ridiculous. The CBC wanted SCTV to produce "specifically Canadian" content when it switched to that network, so they cooked up Bob and Doug McKenzie. As if

    • Re:Content (Score:4, Interesting)

      by dskoll ( 99328 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @04:34PM (#66306732) Homepage

      You know that Bob and Doug McKenzie were created to both satisfy and mock cancon requirements? They were having a joke at the CBC's expense [ign.com], but the show unexpectedly became a huge pop culture phenomenon in Canada.

    • That's what every country does. Al-Jazeera doesn't push content about Brazil.

      Too bad, their ratings would be in the brazilians.
      'Cause they're Brazilian? It's a prediction *and* a pun... (sigh) nobody gets me.

      (Apologies to Rick Sanchez [youtube.com].)

    • The "Made in Canada" laws are ridiculous.

      We Canadians live next door to a country whose population is about 8 times as large as ours. It's true that America and Canada mostly speak the same language, share the same British roots, and have significant cultural overlap.

      But our Canadian outlook on the world is VERY different. CanCon rules allowed our music, TV, and film industries to grow to the point where they are self-sustaining and reflect OUR history and culture. Prior to those rules, our own culture and popular arts were facing extinction, beca

  • Whatever. (Score:5, Informative)

    by Petersko ( 564140 ) on Tuesday August 25, 2026 @04:25PM (#66306712)

    First it was fentanyl, and it's been downhill ever since. If you assume that everything this administration says is a lie, you will be almost always correct.

    Like a lot of Canadians I made my decisions with my wallet rather than my voice. I've cancelled motorcycle trips through the US across two seasons. I cancelled a trip to Louisiana and went to Portugal instead. I avoid US produce when I've never looked at country of origin before.

    And now there are new products released by companies I adore that I am foregoing simply because they are American. I'm looking at you, ThermoWorks. I will miss you.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by dskoll ( 99328 )

      Also. No more trips to or through the USA. I avoid USA products whenever I can. Canceled Amazon, Netflix, Ebay, Meta accounts. Don't use any Microsoft or Apple products. My last tie to US big tech is Google because of my Android phone, but when that one dies, I'm getting either an open Android phone that doesn't require a Google account or a Linux phone. Or even just a dumb phone that can only do SMS and calls, since I don't use my phone for all that much else.

  • They already consume the worst of our content. Let Canada have this one, in practice it does not really alter much for either side.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by caseih ( 160668 )

      You bet. There are a lot of Make America Great Again rednecks in Alberta (Danielle Smith is only pretending to support Carney in this trade debacle). They went to Washington to meet with Trump to tell him how great he is. Maybe if he gives them guns (more guns since they already are quite well armed) they can take Alberta for him.

  • The recent Netflix is the world leader and streaming is because they are really language agnostic. They did not start up by guessing what type of content different communities might want to see, but just put a lot of stuff up and Iâ(TM)ll see what sticks. Turns out theyâ(TM)re outstanding foreign language programs. In addition, netflix has a drop-down menu for different language choices when watching content that is quite large I think about 15 or 20 and some cases. Instead of having American cont

  • "As for why the U.S. government is so invested in the issue?"

    Because they are a bunch of fucking morons, that's why. And that professor is spewing rationalizing baloney. I am tired of journalists inventing convoluted explanations for the grunting of a shit tossing bunch of apes. And between 30% and 40% of Americans still support that band of monkeys. This is a crisis for Canada, but it is a decline for the USA. Even if someone gunned down this stupid government, the 30 to 40 % of American retards would still be there and vote for other stupid shenanigans.

    IMHO, midterms won't save us. Our proportion of morons has reached critical mass. And anyway this government and its emanations show no sign of being willing to surrender power. Elections or not.

    And most countries have quotas of local content if you want to broadcast into their territory. That is a banality.

  • Got a link to an internet archive of it. Grab it while you can. ok

    What IS "Canadian content" anyway?

    Seriously... what counts? Half of what we see on TV is ALREADY Canadian these days.

    Is Star Trek "Canadian"? Strange New Worlds is filmed There and the Shatner himself is Canadian. What about The Expanse? It was also filmed in Canada. Those ancient aliens that build those Chapa'ais throughout multiple galaxies must have had a fondness for poutine, beaver pelts, or fantastic skiing. Because they seem to h

    • The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) determines whether something is Canadian content through a points system, based on the Canadians involved in the production. A work must have at least 6 out of 10 possible points to qualify as Canadian content. Details here. [crtc.gc.ca]

      Music uses a different system called MAPL: Music, Artist, Performance, and Lyrics. If at least two are Canadian, then the music is considered Canadian content. Details here. [wikipedia.org]

    • What IS "Canadian content" anyway?

      Ideally, similar to what you see in other countries - UK has similar content rules, but stricter because the show has to be recognizably *British*.

      Canada's rules let you make a show, call it "Canadian content", while hiding any evidence it has anything to do with Canada. (Either by reskinning us to be American, or by making the show generically "North American" as not to offend delicate American sensibilities that they might have to watch *gasp* Canadians.) Or, sci-fi that still pretends to be American-esqu

  • Perhaps this "kiss my ass" language is the only one Trump can understand.

    When asked by a CBC reporter to react to the post, Ford said he won't respond to "a dictator like President Trump."

    "He's the type of guy in school that would take your lunch money one day, take your toque off your head the next day and then steal your running shoes," Ford said.

    The guy is perfectly right.

  • We always knew America was a corpocracy. Now the government even fights wars against friendly nations for them. And Americans wonder why the world thinks so badly of them.

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