Liberals’ online streaming bill returns to Senate, where ‘finish line is in sight’

Bill C-11 returned to the Senate after the House of Commons adopted most of the upper chamber's amendments to the controversial legislation, and is now expected to pass.

The Liberal government’s controversial online-streaming bill was back in the upper chamber on Tuesday, with one senator who had earlier opposed it saying she expected it to pass.

After more than a year of debate and revisions, Alberta Sen. Paula Simons said she would really like to see Bill C-11 “done and dusted” this week, and not because she wants to ram it through.

“For all the cynicism about the Senate, I think the Senate showed its merits with this bill,” Simons said in a recent interview. “And I think we did a really good job of debating and discussing it.”

Quebec Sen. Marc Gold, the Liberal government’s representative in the Senate, said “the finish line is in sight” after he introduced a motion Tuesday that asked the Senate to adopt the bill so that it can become law.

“For Canada’s cultural sector, it has been a long road and a long wait, but the finish line is in sight,” Gold said.

“For many in the industry, an important source of their income is inextricably linked to the passage of this bill.”

If passed, Bill C-11 would update broadcasting rules to include online streaming and require tech giants such as YouTube, Netflix and Spotify to make Canadian content available to users in Canada — or face steep penalties.

Last month, the House of Commons adopted most of the Senate’s amendments, which included measures to highlight the promotion of Indigenous languages and Black content creators and a change that sought to “reaffirm” the independence and freedom of expression of creators.