Calls to require online digital media services to contribute to
Canadian culture have been a political issue for almost a decade.
Those calls have grown louder in recent months as Canadians have
come to rely increasingly on (foreign) digital platforms to access
television programming.The issue is alive in the current federal
election, in part, because Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has
stated that "there will be 'no more free rides' when
it comes to digital platforms and their contributions to Canadian
culture."1
Background
For much of the past decade, the federal government has resisted
calls to require online digital media services to contribute to
Canadian culture.Initially, there was little evidence that these
digital platforms were having a material impact on the Canadian
broadcasting system and its key stakeholders, including Canadian
broadcasters, distributors and producers.That has all changed in
recent years.Canadian distributors (cable, IPTV and DTH)
