Thank you, Madam Chair.
Welcome, everybody.
I've been around here for a few years. Bill C-18, originally, was supposed to help the newspapers in this country—it's done anything but. As you know, the big telcos got their hands into it, including the public broadcaster, who wants another additional $172 million. It's interesting, because Ms. Tait was in that chair a few weeks ago. They get $1.4 billion from the public and they get $400 million in advertising, yet they want to get their hands into Bill C-18.
When the bill originally came, it was for the newspapers. As I said, in the last year, I've had gobs of newspapers that have gone under—Metroland, 650 jobs lost. I can talk about Pincher Creek or Vermilion. I have some in my province.
When I look at your mandate letter, Ms. Eatrides, I see that its says that the Online News Act seeks to enhance “fairness in the Canadian digital news marketplace”. It's intended to benefit the diversity of news business, including local and independent outlets. How can that be? The newspapers are absolutely pushed out of this conversation.
I'd like your thoughts on the newspapers being pushed out, when originally Bill C-18 was all about the local newspapers.