Ottawa, Meta remain in talks to restore news after ban tied to online bill
Global News
Meta removed news from Facebook and Instagram in Canada in response to the 2023 Online News Act, which the U.S. has identified as a trade irritant.
Canada continues to be open to a deal to bring news back to Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, a spokesperson for Culture Minister Marc Miller said on Wednesday.
Meta removed news from Facebook and Instagram in Canada in response to the 2023 Online News Act, which requires the platforms to compensate news publishers for the use of their content. The U.S. has now identified the legislation as a trade irritant.
Miller’s spokeswoman, Hermine Landry, said in a statement Wednesday the government is in ongoing discussions with Meta.
“The door has always been open on our government’s side to discuss these issues. We’ve been having regular discussions with platforms since the Online News Act was developed. This is nothing new,” Landry said in the statement.
Landry acknowledged Washington’s opposition to the legislation but declined to comment on trade negotiations with the U.S.
In December, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pointed to concerns about Canada’s Online Streaming Act and Online News Act ahead of the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal. Greer cited the impact of the legislation on U.S. digital service providers.
Miller’s office did not answer followup questions about the ongoing discussions — such as how often the government has been meeting with Meta and whether there are plans for the minister himself to have a meeting soon.
Miller told reporters Wednesday that he is not having those conversations.
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