'No concessions' St-Onge says in $100M a year news deal with Google
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge announced the "historic development" regarding the implementation of Bill C-18 on Wednesday, after the tech giant had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
"We have found a path forward to answer Google's questions about their process and the Act. Google wanted certainty about the amount of compensation it would have to pay to Canadian news outlets," St-Onge said, backed by Liberal MPs in the House of Commons foyer.
"Many doubted that we would be successful, but I was confident that we would find a way to address Google's concerns and make sure that Canadians would have access to news in Canada on their platform," she said, insisting there were "absolutely no concessions" made on the government's part.
The federal government says this financial support will be indexed to inflation, and rolled out to "a wide range of news businesses across the country, including independent news businesses and those from Indigenous and official-language minority communities."
Google will also be able to work with a single collective to distribute this money to "all interested eligible news businesses," based on the number of full-time equivalent journalists they employ.
So far, little has been revealed about what, if any, regulatory adjustments the federal government will be making, with Canadian Heritage indicating that it is unable to release details about the finalized regulations until they are approved by the Treasury Board prior to the Act coming into effect.
St-Onge said Canada reserves the right to reopen the regulations if better agreements are struck in other countries, but for now what's been agreed to "will establish a fairer commercial relationship between digital platforms and in journalism and Canada."
"Following extensive discussions, we are pleased that the Government of Canada has committed to addressing our core issues with Bill C-18, which included the need for a streamlined path to an exemption at a clear commitment threshold," said President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet Kent Walker in a statement.
"While we work with the government through the exemption process based on the regulations that will be published shortly, we will continue sending valuable traffic to Canadian publishers," Walker said.
TRUDEAU CALLS OUT META
Bill C-18, or the Online News Act, lays out a framework that would require digital giants Google and Meta to develop agreements with Canadian news sites to provide them with compensation for hosting their journalistic content on their platforms.
When the bill passed in June, Both Google and Meta had taken the position that rather than compensating media organizations, they'd be blocking Canadian news from their platforms.
Meta made good on this threat this summer, and that company continues to block content from Canadian news platforms on Facebook and Instagram, despite political and public pressure to reverse course.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out swinging against Meta – right now the only other company that meets the threshold to be eligible under the Online News Act – over its decision to pull news access rather than pay for it.
"Unfortunately, Meta continues to complete abdicate any responsibility towards democratic institutions and even stability, but we’re going to continue to work positively in those areas," Trudeau said.
Reacting to Wednesday's developments, Meta said the federal regulatory process related to the Online News Act remains "not equipped" to adjust the core elements of the legislation they've long-viewed as "unworkable."
"Unlike search engines, we do not proactively pull news from the internet to place in our users' feeds and we have long been clear that the only way we can reasonably comply with the Online News Act is by ending news availability for people in Canada," said an unnamed Meta spokesperson in a statement emailed to CTV News.
WHAT WERE GOOGLE'S CONCERNS?
In advance of this deal, Google had indicated that barring adjustments to the proposed federal regulations underpinning the new rules, the search giant would follow Meta's lead and remove links to Canadian stories from its Search and other products when the legislation comes into effect on Dec. 19.
The tech giant had voiced concern about "serious structural issues with C-18 that regrettably were not dealt with during the legislative process," and has called the bill a "link tax" that "breaks the way the web and search engines have worked for more than 30 years," and may expose them to "uncapped financial liability."
According to The Canadian Press, citing a Canadian Heritage Department official, the final regulations will also address Google's concern around the rules setting up linking to news sites as the basis for payment by clarifying that Google's now-secured payment is about helping publishers and not for linking to news.
Alongside this deal, Canadian Heritage said Google will continue to make programs such as training and business development tools available and will carry on with its support for non-profit journalism projects, while offering assurances "Canadian news businesses will continue to be treated commensurately with their global peers."
Earlier this year the federal government had put an estimated price tag on how much Google would have to spend – $172 million – in annual compensation to meet the proposed exemption criteria, a figure the tech giant disputed.
St-Onge took over the contentious file from her predecessor and the bill's sponsor Pablo Rodriguez following a July cabinet shuffle, seeing her take the lead in recent months on the online news negotiations with platforms.
On Wednesday she thanked her predecessor for his work on the file, and said this deal was an example of how under the "viable" Online News Act, Canadian outlets are "expected to see substantial financial support."
"For more than a decade, news organizations have been disrupted by the arrival of large digital platforms like Google. In Canada, nearly 500 media outlets have closed their doors… All over the world, governments have set up systems to try to establish a more level playing field between tech giants and news organizations, which are essential in our democracies," St-Onge said.
While the minister is viewing the deal as a win for Canadian news outlets by establishing funding that wasn't already on offer, Canadian media advocacy group Friends' said it "will not deliver the kind of support to Canadian journalism that we originally hoped for."
"We will be looking to the regulations to ensure that smaller, independent, and equity-seeking media groups are assured access to funding. Since this deal confirms that The Online News Act will not be a panacea for protecting Canadian journalism, other tools to provide support for news must be put in place," said Friends' executive director Marla Boltman in a statement.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) said it was "relieved" to learn about this agreement averting any further Google news blocking, and is hopeful that it "establishes the right precedent for other digital platforms that make use of Canadian news content."
"We are glad to know that Canadians will be able to continue to access news through Google," said CAB president Kevin Desjardins. "We look forward to continuing to engage with the Government to ensure an equitable funding model for Canadian newsrooms."
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
NDP house leader says House dysfunction will be a factor in future confidence votes
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
NEW Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
BREAKING Jury begins deliberations in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
The jury tasked with determining if Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard sexually assaulted a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago began deliberating Friday after nearly two weeks of testimony that saw the singer and his accuser give starkly different accounts of what happened.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
A Michigan man is charged with killing and dismembering a janitor he met on the Grindr dating app
Prosecutors have charged a Michigan man with killing and dismembering a janitor he met on the dating app Grindr.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Local Spotlight
'Very special to be home': Chantal Kreviazuk to play anniversary concert in Winnipeg
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
'Too good to be true': Guy Maddin on whirlwind release of apocalyptic comedy starring Cate Blanchett
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
Husband and wife on road trip of a lifetime stop in Sask. for winter
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
Unknown Canadian soldier from First World War identified as Manitoba man
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
N.S. classic cars club donates hundreds of blankets to nursing homes
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Canada's October temperatures set to teeter-totter due to record-breaking U.S. heat
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
New Westminster, B.C., aquatic facility named alongside Paris Olympic venue as world's most beautiful
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
'Thank you Kaye San': Last surviving member of Vancouver Asahi baseball team dies at 102
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
'Like going to a buffet with no one else in line': Housing sales stall in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.