Hon. Andrew Cardozo rose pursuant to notice of June 18, 2025:

That he will call the attention of the Senate to the future of Canadian news media and its long-term funding model, including that of CBC/Radio Canada.

He said: Honourable senators, I realize that I stand literally between you and dinner. I pulled out several pages of my speech; I will be brief.

I am launching this inquiry on funding new news media in Canada. Colleagues, there is a real crisis in Canadian news media. This inquiry is about the long-term funding of news media across Canada, public, private and non-profit. It builds on the inquiry I launched in the previous Parliament on the future of CBC/Radio-Canada.

I want to sincerely thank our colleagues who rose to speak during the inquiry: Senators Forest, Bernard, Miville-Dechêne, Moncion, Duncan, McCallum, Gerba, Klyne and Aucoin. We heard many valuable viewpoints that made valuable contributions to the broader public debate surrounding CBC/Radio-Canada.

I did not get to close the inquiry due to prorogation, but I issued a summary report which is available on my website, SenatorCardozo.ca.

The main elements of my summation are as follows: Presentations talked about the need for a strong belief in the need for the continuation and growth of CBC/Radio-Canada; the importance of maintaining strong English and French programming, especially French across the country; the need for the public broadcaster to constantly innovate and adjust to the rapidly changing technology of media; the need for a strong focus on diversity in all its forums so as to reflect Canada; the need for drastically increased local programming; better international news coverage; the need for the better reflection of political and social diversity in the programming of CBC/Radio-Canada.

I also wish to salute the work of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, which began a study last year tightly focused on local programming at CBC/Radio-Canada.

I wish to compliment my colleagues Senators Hay and Wilson and other members of the steering committee — Senators Smith, Dasko and Lewis — for making the plan to complete the study this fall. It is timely. It will add considerably to the national debate.

The committee heard from 59 witnesses last year and received a lot of thoughtful commentary on a range of viewpoints.

Today, I wish to widen the scope of the discussion and look for options for the financial model for news media in the years ahead, the long-term.

Today, we’re expanding the scope of the debate to include a discussion of options for the news media economic model in coming years.

In addition to CBC/Radio-Canada, most traditional media — newspapers, radio and television, as well as numerous online publications — have access to public support, direct grants or tax credits. Of course, this model has its supporters and detractors.

Let me be clear in saying that a major reason for this discussion now is that two political parties in the last election — the Conservative Party and the People’s Party — promised to end all or most of the federal funding for the public broadcaster and the private sector media. These parties have raised serious issues with serious reservations that deserve a serious conversation.

The key point — and I actually don’t disagree with it — is that an independent media should not be getting public funds. Here is the conundrum: If today we end all subsidies, we end all public and independent media in Canada. That is the conundrum I ask you to participate in and have a discussion on. In my view, we urgently need a debate and need fresh ideas on how news media, both public and private, can best thrive and serve the public good.

The following are the four issues that I encourage you to address among any other that you see as important.

First is the option for a viable, long-term funding model for Canadian news media that can garner support and trust of Canadians. One has been to have all funding of the media go through an independent body at arm’s length from the government. The new Canadian Journalism Collective that oversees the Google money subsequent to Bill C-11 is one of those options.

You will recall that when Minister Steven Guilbeault was here last week, I asked him a question about that, and he referred to this model as being an option. I would suggest that it go beyond the Google money and that any public money that goes to news media — private and non-profit media — go through this arm’s-length body. That is one of the issues up for discussion.

Second is the role in future of CBC/Radio-Canada as one part of a wider news media ecosystem.

You will know that the corporation was established by Conservative prime minister R.B. Bennett in 1936 to counter the onslaught of American broadcasting that could wipe out Canadian culture and identity. The challenge today, ironically and sadly, is the same in content but which is more drastic in volume and speed.

The third issue is the current state and future potential of the emerging online-only news media ecosystems. Numerous new online news media are emerging. Examples include The Hub, The Tyee, The Narwhal, Halifax Examiner, National Newswatch, PressProgress and LiveWire.

This is certainly where the brightest hope lies in the future of news media in Canada, and indeed many other parts of the world. At present, most are small or even boutique, but many are ensuring high standards of fair journalism and deserve our respect for their determination and innovation.

The fourth issue is the effect on democracy of the reducing presence and standards of news media.

We currently have a situation where an increasing number of cities, towns and communities have no coverage of local municipal councils, local businesses, schools and sports. Indeed, that’s even the case in many large cities where a newspaper may just cover one or two issues when city councils are dealing with a large number of issues.

Indeed, here in the Senate, we see very little coverage of what happens in the Senate.

With the growing power of social media, misinformation and disinformation online, the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and the ability of bad actors to manipulate democracy, these problems are growing by leaps and bounds and need our attention. Again, the four questions are: Viable long-term financial model for all media; the role of CBC/Radio-Canada; the emerging online media, and the effects on democracy.

In conclusion, and to summarize: this inquiry aims to identify a long-term financial model for Canada’s news media, whether they are managed by the private sector, the non-profit sector or the public sector.

It is about identifying options for a long-term financial model for news media in Canada.

Many Canadians I’ve been speaking with over the past few months believe that the largely non-partisan nature of the Senate offers us, offers Canadians, the best venue to have a discussion relatively free of partisan consideration, but rather to focus on the future of news media in a way that is good for Canada, Canadian democracy and the Canadian people.

Colleagues, I invite you to be part of this discussion in the weeks ahead.

Honourable colleagues, I urge you to participate in this inquiry into this vital aspect of our democracy over the coming weeks. Thank you.