Canada's CRTC Lags Behind UK, U.S. in Addressing Chinese Media Influence, Hogue Commission Testimony Reveals

In Hogue Commission testimony, Canada's media regulator, the CRTC, confirmed it has never considered taking action against Chinese-owned broadcasters accused of engaging in election interference and disinformation at the direction of Chinese officials, as outlined by recent intelligence reports and a just-concluded Elections Canada investigation.

In another significant admission, the CRTC highlighted a stark contrast with regulatory actions taken by the UK. While UK regulators deplatformed a PRC-owned broadcaster following a complaint from the NGO SafeGuard Defenders that the Chinese TV station had aired confessions elicited through torture, the Canadian regulator has not taken similar action after receiving the same complaint.

And while the U.S. State Department has designated Beijing-owned media outlets as agents of China, the CRTC would need political guidance from Global Affairs Canada to consider such an action, the Commission heard.

Testimony from Scott Shortliffe, appearing on behalf of the CRTC, raised significant questions about gaps in Canadian regulatory responses to PRC media influence, raising concerns about the adequacy of current oversight in safeguarding Canadian elections from foreign interference.

Shortliffe confirmed that the CRTC had never been briefed by any Canadian security or intelligence agency on the issue of foreign interference. "This is very new for the CRTC," he said. He further confirmed that prior to the tabling of numerous explosive assessments from Canadian intelligence in the Hogue Commission, which found Chinese media pose serious national security risks to Canada, the CRTC had no direct knowledge of these concerns.