Canada Funds ‘Media Freedom’ Abroad While Silencing News at Home

While Canada pledges $1 million to UNESCO’s Global Media Defence Fund to support “global media freedom,” its own domestic policies are suffocating journalism. The Online News Act, passed in 2023, has led to news blackouts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, crippling local outlets and cutting Canadians off from critical information.

Meta’s response to the Act—blocking news content—has hit smaller outlets the hardest. Local publications have seen an 85 percent drop in engagement on Meta’s platforms, according to the Media Ecosystem Observatory.

This comes as Canada’s media ecosystem struggles with dwindling revenue and shrinking audiences. A report by the Department of Canadian Heritage confirms that over 450 news outlets have closed since 2008. Policies like the Online News Act exacerbate these challenges, making it harder for smaller publications to survive.

While claiming to “safeguard journalists worldwide,” the Trudeau government has empowered tech giants to limit news access at home. Even Google’s $100 million annual funding deal directs 30 percent of funds to broadcasters, including 7 percent to CBC, disproportionately sidelining smaller, independent publications. Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law, called the Act a misstep that “amplifies the power of tech giants.”

As Canada uses taxpayers’ money to purportedly support global “media freedom,” its domestic policies undermine access to news and weaken smaller outlets, thus eroding the principles it claims to support—only not for Canadians.