On August 22, the Government of Canada drew a line in the sand by walking away from Canada-U.S. trade negotiations. As Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized in his remarks: “We were not prepared to compromise on the protection of the French language and our culture.” The Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) welcomes the government’s firm stance in defence of Canadian culture and the French language.

However, significant concessions have been announced in recent months. In particular, the CDCE points to the government’s decision to ask the CRTC to reconsider its ruling requiring foreign streaming platforms to contribute to the funding of Canadian content. Yet protecting our cultural sovereignty and linguistic diversity depends on preserving our ability to tell our stories and ensure our music is heard. To achieve this, our cultural ecosystem relies on two inseparable pillars: the discoverability of Canadian content and its funding.

The CDCE now expects the government’s actions to reflect the line it has drawn. The forthcoming policy direction to the CRTC provides an opportunity to restore its full authority to implement the Online Streaming Act. The announced rollback can still be avoided.

It is worth recalling that the Online Streaming Act is intended to create a fair broadcasting ecosystem in which foreign online streaming platforms contribute alongside Canadian broadcasters, supported by sustainable and predictable discoverability and funding measures that are protected from shifting circumstances. Quebec’s Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment will provide additional, complementary protections for French-language creations and productions.

Since the CUSMA review process began, these laws have been targeted by the United States, which views them as trade irritants. Over the past year, the CDCE has undertaken several advocacy efforts, including a meeting on July 9 with Janice Charette, Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator with the United States, to urge the government not to yield to U.S. pressure on the cultural sector. While the CDCE reiterated the importance of preserving the cultural exemption, it also stressed the need to protect the laws adopted under that exemption.

“Cultural sovereignty must not be affirmed only when negotiations collapse; it must guide every decision Canada makes. As Prime Minister Mark Carney reminded us, it is essential that we remain masters in our own home. This commitment must now translate into concrete action enabling Canada to protect its culture in all its diversity for the long term,” said Marie-Julie Desrochers, Executive Director of the CDCE.

Canada is internationally recognized as a leader in cultural sovereignty. However, its leadership has been tested by U.S. pressure in recent months. That pressure will not disappear with the collapse of these negotiations: technology companies will continue to promote their interests among policymakers. Canada now has an opportunity to reaffirm its leadership by adopting ambitious and coherent policies that will ensure the vitality of its cultural ecosystems.