Speaking to the press in King City, Ontario, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went off about Bell’s layoffs yesterday, as he stood in front of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
When a reporter asked, “your heritage minister accused Bell Canada of breaking promises after receiving $40 million in regulatory relief funds, and what is your view of that company’s layoffs? What is your commitment of future government support with that company?”, Trudeau gave a long answer about just how mad he is about Bell’s job cuts, which slashed 9% of its total workforce.
“I’m furious. This is a garbage decision. By a corporation that should know better. We have seen over the past years, journalistic outlets, radio stations, small community newspapers, bought up by corporate entities, who then, layoff journalists, change the offering…the quality of offering to people,” said an angry Trudeau.
“And then when people don’t watch as much, or engage as much, the corporate entity says oh we’re not profitable anymore, we’re gonna sell them off. This is the erosion—not just of journalism—local quality journalism, at a time when people need it more than ever, given misinformation and disinformation,” he added.
“But it’s eroding our very democracy. Our abilities to tell stories to each other of how people’s lives are, stories that reflect our own communities and not central offices in our biggest cities, is part of what binds this country together, from coast to coast to coast,” said the Prime Minister.
“I’m furious. This is a garbage decision by a corporation that should know better,” PM Justin Trudeau tells reporters in King City, Ont., as he responds to a question about recently announced layoffs at Bell.
#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/udtnqbY8O7— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 9, 2024
“With incredible diversity of experiences and geographies, we need those local voices. And over the past years, corporate Canada—and there are many culprits in this—have abdicated their responsibility toward their community that they have always made very good profits off of in various ways. As a government we have been stepping up the past years,” he went on.
“Fighting for local journalism, fighting for investments all the while fending off attacks from Conservatives and others who say, no no, you’re trying to buy off journalists. We’re trying to support journalism in this country and across this country, but no government can do it alone. Canadians need to demand better, we will be demanding better, from corporate leaders like in this case Bell, that are eroding Canadians’ ability to know each other, to trust each other, and to trust in the country and the future we are building together,” explained Trudeau.
“So yeah, I’m pretty pissed off about what just happened,” he concluded. What will Trudeau do about this though?
Bell also capped its fibre internet speeds and has been slashing its investments as well.
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Yes the CBC is a shining example of localized news, unbiased reporting without an “agenda”. (Sarcasm) The whole media industry has been screwed up by them telling people what to think rather than just what is going on. Bell is not blameless but look at the whole picture.
Yup. This industry was going down fast because of their own mistakes and incompetence. Trudeau thought paying them off for even more biased reporting would save them. Just as poorly thought out.
Bell and Rogers are successful companies only because they were gifted monopolies and then granted decades of government protection and support in their core businesses.They were never going to be competent enough to run media empires. Trudeau getting in bed with them was never going to save them.
The fact you think CBC has an agenda says it all. How shameful of you.
He will do nothing. All words.
Voting for Justin Trudeau called ‘Garbage decision’ by most Canadians.
“I’m furious!”
“I’m not going to do anything about it, but I’m furious!”
It looks like the bills that the federal liberals passed did absolutely nothing for media in canada. kind of like everything the federal liberals do, except spend money and raise taxes. They are really good at that.
vote the liberals and ndp out of power now.
oh he’s furious! Cry me a river. Almost as furious as most sensible Canadians are at the amount of tax he himself has added.
Trudeau must go, and let someone better come along.
The fact you agree with bells decision says it all
You’re angry? You handed this company $40m of OUR money and now they’re laying off and cutting OUR jobs.
If there’s no election by April we need to make one.
still holding grudges against Sophie, I see.