QUESTION PERIOD — Canadian Heritage
Online Streaming
May 28, 2025
Senator Gold, the Government of Quebec just introduced a bill that would enable it to impose French-language content quotas on platforms such as Netflix and Disney.
Quebec is quite legitimately seeking to protect its language from English cultural invasion, and it is disappointed that the federal government is dragging its feet in this regard. It is true that Bill C-11, the Broadcasting Act, was passed over two years ago, but the CRTC still hasn’t taken any action to increase the discoverability of French-language content. Does Quebec have good reason to be losing hope that the federal government will take action?
Thank you for your question and your ongoing commitment in this regard. It is to your credit.
The government firmly believes that content produced in Canada should be easily accessible on streaming platforms in Canadians’ official language of choice.
Our government is aware that the Quebec government introduced a bill on the discoverability of French-language content. It will carefully examine the bill and may have more to say on this in the coming days.
Thank you. However, isn’t there a risk of contradictions between the federal Broadcasting Act, which seeks to increase discoverability, and the upcoming Quebec law, which will impose quotas? Are we not asking broadcasting platforms to do two contradictory things? What will happen then? Which law will prevail?
As you know, I was a constitutional expert in my former life, so I won’t get into the weeds on constitutional rules around which language takes precedence in the bill.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The government will take a close look at this bill and may have some answers later on.
