Canadian Heritage

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage met on April 16, 2026, to study the state of the journalism and media sectors. Witnesses included Léa Villalba and Samuel Lamoureux from the Association des journalistes indépendants du Québec, Jane Robertson from the Canadian Media Guild, Éric-Pierre Champagne and Stéphanie Mac Farlane from the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec, Sheila Gunn Reid from the Independent Press Gallery, and Peter Menzies from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Léa Villalba described freelance journalists as invisible but essential, working for low pay and often unpaid for research and travel, with per-page rates unchanged for a decade and many earning minimum wage. She recommended including freelancers in the Google fund distribution, extending the Canadian journalism labour tax credit to them, creating a legislated fee schedule adjusted for inflation, and granting a separate legal status similar to artists to allow collective bargaining.

Jane Robertson presented survey results showing media workers face job insecurity, low wages, and concerns about AI, with 99% saying wages must keep up with the cost of living. She urged the government to include human content standards in the journalism tax credit, increase and stabilize CBC/Radio-Canada funding, strengthen protections in the upcoming online harms act, and resist U.S. pressure to weaken the Online News Act and Online Streaming Act.

Éric-Pierre Champagne argued that the media business model is broken because 70-80% of advertising revenue goes to Google and Meta, but that quality journalism remains strong in Quebec. He called for ending the tax deduction for advertising on foreign platforms, ensuring Meta pays its fair share under the Online News Act, and protecting copyright from generative AI, while opposing a professional order for journalists.

Sheila Gunn Reid stated that independent journalists are systematically denied access to government officials, press gallery membership, and federal leaders debates, and that government subsidies create a two-tiered system that undermines trust. She asked for equal treatment in media access, an end to gatekeeping by competitors, and for public policy not to interfere with how independent media reach their audience.

Peter Menzies argued that government subsidies have made the media dependent on the state and eroded public trust, and that current policies suppress innovation. He recommended creating a national news industry policy, phasing out direct subsidies in favour of consumer-side tax credits for subscriptions, limiting production benefits to non-profits, and enhancing copyright protections.

Samuel Lamoureux said the core issue is not credibility but the devaluation of journalistic work in a digital economy dominated by platforms, and that Facebook has replaced news with scams in rural areas. He supported making government assistance conditional on membership in the Quebec Press Council rather than creating a professional order.

Stéphanie Mac Farlane noted that the FPJQ withdraws press cards from journalists who enter politics, as required by its code of ethics.

During debate, the committee agreed to invite the Future of Sport in Canada commissioner and the Secretary of State for Sport for a two-hour meeting, but did not adopt a second motion to study FIFA World Cup contracts.