Bill C-11

To the public, Bill C-11, an Act created to sustain Canadian culture and online content, is extremely controversial. The bill seeks to moderate online content and strongly compel online streaming platforms to promote Canadian content. Its benefits may seem appealing at first glance, but its introduction of regulations, taxation, and unclear instructions is troubling. To The Flounder, this bill is extremely unsatisfactory.

As the largest entertainment source of modern day, The Flounder believes that although some of Bill C-11’s requirements present no challenges to the Flounder company, such as that “content must provide a balance of information, enlightenment and entertainment for people of all ages interests and tastes,” others may. The additional potential taxation for online services that contravene Bill C-11, for example, is simply unfeasible. The Flounder has never been one to strictly comply with any rules. Unfortunately despite the fact that The Flounder name is a common topic of discussion and The Flounder itself a symbol of worship in households across Canada, the organization itself is (fin-ancially) in the red. All revenue is spent on 24K gold-flaked fish food for Patricandra, the CEO of The Flounder.

Another crucial issue is Bill C-11’s vague requirement of “public and private endorsement of archetypal French language programs.” The CEO has only just recently become fluent in English, and the mere thought of having to learn another language is turning The Flounder belly-up.

Sadly, the CEO is not the only one in the company lacking an ounce of French-language fluency. If producing French content becomes mandatory, The Flounder will have to hire French writers and editors, and perhaps promote a new employee to co-CEO, which is out of the question. The Flounder has ample difficulty paying its current staff who, underpaid, unappreciated, and une-fish-ient, are notoriously late with every deadline.

Categorically, Bill C-11 threatens to create an environment of unattainable and overly strict, yet ambiguous rules for online Canadians and especially those associated with The Flounder.