In recent times, Canada has been starkly reminded of the pervasive threat of foreign interference and transnational repression (TNR), a menace that undermines the sovereignty and safety of its citizens. While the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been drummed up Justin Trudeau and the pro-Khalistan elements publicly to point fingers at India, his death seemed more of a gang war, nothing more. However, it is crucial to pivot our attention towards another formidable source of Canadian TNR – China. The revelation from Canada’s domestic spy agency regarding China’s interference in the last two elections underscores the gravity of suspected meddling in Canadian politics. The disclosure, made during an official probe, provides the most concrete evidence yet of China’s involvement in shaping electoral outcomes. A slide presented during the commission hearing contained excerpts from a February 2023 briefing by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), stating unequivocally, “We know that the PRC (Peoples’ Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections.” The briefing highlighted the pragmatic nature of these foreign interference activities, which primarily aimed to bolster candidates perceived as ‘pro-PRC’ or ‘neutral’ on matters of interest to the Chinese government. This confirmation raises significant concerns about the integrity of Canada’s democratic process and calls for robust measures to safeguard against future meddling attempts. The experiences of Canadian MP Michael Chong, who faced a coordinated disinformation campaign from China due to his criticism of the country’s treatment of Uighurs, exemplify Beijing’s audacious attempts to silence dissent abroad. This is not an isolated incident but a reflection of a broader strategy employed by the Chinese government to exert its influence and suppress opposition globally. The plight of the Uighur community in Canada, subjected to harassment, surveillance, and threats from Chinese operatives, underscores the extent of Beijing’s reach. Activists like Mehmet Tohti and Bakhtiar Semseddin have courageously spoken out, despite the risks to themselves and their families, about the tactics employed by the Chinese government to intimidate and silence them. Furthermore, the ordeal of Omar Abdulaziz, targeted by cyber espionage, illustrates the sophistication and intrusiveness of the tools at the disposal of authoritarian regimes like China and Saudi Arabia. The use of Pegasus Spyware in Abdulaziz’s case is a chilling reminder of the lengths to which these governments will go to clamp down on dissent, even beyond their borders. The Canadian government’s response to these threats has been lackluster at best. While there are ongoing inquiries and discussions about strengthening laws to combat foreign interference, the victims of TNR often feel abandoned, lacking adequate support from law enforcement and intelligence services. The case of Yuekang Li, denied a study permit due to fears of espionage, signals a growing awareness but also hints at the complexity and challenge of addressing this issue. Canada’s large and diverse diaspora communities make it a prime target for foreign interference and TNR. The state must recognize the gravity of this threat and take decisive action to protect its residents. This involves not only enhancing legal frameworks and law enforcement capabilities but also providing support and resources to those targeted by such campaigns. The creation of a standalone definition of transnational repression, as advocated by former minister of justice Irwin Cotler, could be a significant step forward. It would clarify the nature of the threat and enable more effective responses. Moreover, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and other agencies need the authority and means to engage more proactively with communities at risk, offering guidance and support. In light of these pressing issues, it is imperative for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the current Canadian administration to adopt a firmer stance against China’s transnational repression tactics. Instead of appeasing Beijing, Canada must take a stand and speak out against the injustices and infringements on freedom perpetrated by the Chinese government. While addressing concerns related to any nation, including the allegations against India, it is crucial that the Canadian government maintains a balanced and principled approach. Pandering to any group, including Khalistani extremists, should not overshadow the broader imperative to challenge and counter the real and present threats emanating from China. The safety and democratic values of Canada and its residents necessitate a clear, strong, and consistent voice against all forms of foreign interference and repression, without any bias or preferential treatment. Source: khalsa Vox

Canada's domestic spy agency concluded that China interfered in the last two elections, an official probe heard on Monday, the firmest evidence so far of suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian politics. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party won both the elections, held in 2019 and 2021. Under pressure from opposition legislators unhappy about media reports on China's possible role, Trudeau set up a commission into foreign interference. The commission was shown a slide on Monday containing an extract of a February 2023 briefing from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). "We know that the PRC (Peoples' Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections," it said. "In both cases, these FI (foreign interference) activities were pragmatic in nature and focused primarily on supporting those viewed to be either 'pro-PRC' or 'neutral' on issues of interest to the PRC government." The existence of the assessment had previously been reported by Global News. China denies it interferes in Canadian politics. Erin O'Toole, who led the Conservatives during the 2021 campaign, estimated Chinese interference cost his party up to nine seats but added it had not changed the course of the election. A legislator for the left-leaning minority New Democrats told the inquiry that once she started criticizing Beijing's Hong Kong policy, invitations to events held by the politically influential ethnic Chinese community started to dry up. According to the official 2021 census, Canada is home to around 1.7 million people of Chinese descent, just under 5% of the total population. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CSIS statement. Last year, Canada said a Conservative legislator with family in Hong Kong had been targeted in an online disinformation operation, and kicked out a senior Chinese diplomat. "State actors are able to conduct foreign interference successfully in Canada because there are few legal or political consequences. FI is therefore low-risk and high-reward," said the CSIS assessment. Intelligence analysts and the Conservatives say Trudeau's government has not done enough to combat Chinese interference. Trudeau is due to testify to the commission on Wednesday. The Conservatives, who generally take a harder line on China than the Liberals, campaigned in 2021 on a platform that condemned Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur minority and vowed to ban Chinese mobile giant Huawei from the 5G network.   Source: Reuters  

Report says Xiangguo Qiu secretly worked with Wuhan Institute for Virology and posed a ‘threat to Canada’s economic security’ A leading research scientist at Canada’s highest-security laboratory provided confidential scientific information to Chinese institutions, met secretly with officials and posed “a realistic and credible threat to Canada’s economic security” according to newly released intelligence reports. The dismissal of Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, has been shrouded in mystery ever since the couple were escorted from Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Laboratory in 2019 and formally fired two years later. Intelligence assessments released late on Wednesday afternoon alleged that Qiu’s “close and clandestine relationships” with Chinese institutions which showed a “reckless judgment” could have harmed Canada’s national security. The assessments were among more than 600 documents released after a long fight with opposition legislators who had demanded information behind the sackings. CSIS, Canada’s intelligence agency, concluded that in security-screening interviews, Qiu repeatedly lied about about her relationship with research institutions linked to the Chinese government. Even when confronted with contradictory evidence, “Ms Qiu continued to make blanket denials, feign ignorance or tell outright lies.” In one instance, Qiu told investigators a 2018 trip to China was a personal vacation. But she eventually admitted the trip was paid for by Wuhan Institute for Virology and that she met the a senior member of the organization during the trip. Investigators also found evidence of application from Qiu agreeing to work for the Wuhan Virology Institute for at least two months each year, with the aim of augmenting China’s “biosecurity platform for new and potent infectious disease research”, according to the CSIS report. Qiu admitted she sent an Ebola sample to China’s national institute for food and drug control, which was attempting to develop an inhibitor to the virus. But she did so without a material transfer agreement or collaboration agreement. Qiu also allowed two employees of a Chinese institution, “whose work is not aligned with Canadian interests” access to the lab. Both Qiu and Cheng filed grievances for their dismissal but have not commented on the allegations in the documents. Their current whereabouts are unknown. In a letter to Cheng, the public health agency said there were “serious concerns” over his “close personal and professional relationship with Xiangguo Qiu” and his “awareness and lack of candour regarding your own activities and those of Xiangguo Qiu with individuals and entities of a foreign government”. Qiu was told by the health agency that “during the entire [investigative] process, you did not express remorse or regret” and at times tried to deflect blame onto the public health agency. “You cannot be relied upon not to abuse the trust accorded to you and to perform your assigned duties in a manner that will reflect positively on PHAC and not pose a security risk to the government of Canada and PHAC,” the agency said. Canada’s Liberal government has fought the release of the documents for years. The government initially released heavily redacted documents, which left opposition parties frustrated with what they felt was a lack of candour by Justin Trudeau’s government. A recent unified motion by opposition parties finally compelled the release of the investigation. The Health minister, Mark Holland, acknowledged “a lax adherence to the securities and protocols” at the lab, which is overseen by the public health agency of Canada. But Holland said “at no time” were there breaches of national secrets or information from the lab. The Conservative party, which is currently polling far ahead of the Liberals, accused the Trudeau’s government of permitting the Chinese government to infiltrate Canada’s highest-security lab. “This is a massive national security failure by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government, which he fought tooth and nail to cover up,” said the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre.   Source: The Guardian

In what may come as another setback in the already strained relationship between Canada and China, the Canadian government has published a list of 85 Chinese research institutions that “may pose” a threat to sensitive research and national security. Besides the 85 Chinese institutions, the list also includes six Russian and twelve Iranian organizations alleged to have some connections to “military, national defense or state security entities.” Global News reported that the list was published on the afternoon of January 17.  According to the Ottawa administration, the listing is part of an effort to protect Canadian research and development against economic espionage and theft in critical industrial sectors, such as advanced weapons, aerospace and space technology, and quantum science and technology.     François-Philippe Champagne, the federal industry minister, in a statement that “While its excellence and collaborative nature defines Canadian-led research, its openness can make it a target for foreign influence, increasing the potential risks for research and development efforts to be misappropriated to the detriment of national security.” The Federal government, however, stopped short of giving more specific information. Intriguingly, the federal authorities claimed during a technical briefing the same day that they were unsure of the extent to which Canadian research involved participants from overseas institutions. Speaking anonymously, one source informed reporters that “in defining the list, there would be an understanding of risk factors and how they relate to Canadian institutions but also to international institutions.” Additionally, officials could not estimate the cost of the new regulations for Canadian research institutes. But they did point out that there was a price for sensitive research being “exfiltrated” by outside parties without making a specific reference to China.   Champagne stated to a House of Commons committee in November last year that the government would not target any particular nation or business regarding the listing. However, it is evident from the list’s high concentration of Chinese groups that Canadian intelligence services regard to be the biggest threat. For instance, many organizations, such as the National University of Defence Technology, People’s Public Security University of China, and Rocket Force Command College, are directly affiliated with the Chinese military.     The development came when the bilateral relationship between the two countries spiraled, with sporadic incidents of military confrontations in the Indo-Pacific. Most of 2023 saw diplomatic tussles exacerbated by Canada’s accusations that China was meddling with its elections. The list was published just days after the two sides affirmed that they wished to maintain consistent communication to support what Beijing referred to as the “current difficult situation” in their bilateral relations.    China’s foreign ministry quoted Wang Yi last week saying, “The fundamental reason why China-Canada relations have fallen to a low point in recent years is that there has been a serious deviation in Canada’s perception of China.” Wang Yi was reportedly speaking to Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly.    Several Countries In The West Are Wary Of China Given the widening rift between China and its rivals in the west led by the United States, such instances are hardly uncommon. Last June, when the Dutch government announced that it was contemplating screening foreign students planning to study in technical fields for possible security risks, it was seen as an attempt at restricting Chinese students.   At the time, the Dutch government clarified that the measure would apply to all students in the European Union and not just Chinese academics. However, the decision followed a Dutch intelligence assessment that Dutch universities had become an “attractive target” for spying, with China being the most significant threat. In a more recent incident, a report in the German publication Der Spiegel noted that security officials in Bavaria were advised to be wary of the large influx of Chinese students. The officials were most concerned about the grants from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a state-run organization. Under the initiative, over 5,000 Chinese undergraduate and graduate students have been sent to Germany. Last year, the education minister of Germany demanded that student exchange policies with China be revised, noting the heightened risk of scientific espionage posed by Chinese students receiving full state scholarships and coming to study in Germany.   “China is becoming more and more competitive and is a systemic rival in the domain of science and research,” Bettina Stark-Watzinger said in an interview at the time. Western officials and analysts have frequently mentioned a secret service statute implemented in China in 2017 as a cause of concern. The statute allegedly mandated that “any organization or citizen shall support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work, according to the law.”   It gives the Chinese government the power to order any citizen or company operating in China to cooperate with the intelligence services. Essentially, it is an unrestrained license to spy. Western officials have maintained that several Chinese expats, visiting scholars, students, and businesses contribute to the Chinese espionage network by transmitting information back to their country of origin. China’s principal adversary and rival, the United States, was among the first to address these concerns. In September 2020, more than 1,000 Chinese citizens had their visas revoked by the US under a presidential order that barred admission to researchers and students judged security threats.   The acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said that Washington was blocking visas “for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China’s military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.” On every such occasion that has occurred over the last few years, China has decried these decisions as an unwarranted targeting of its citizens and a violation of their human rights. The Canadian list, thus, could intensify the already escalating tensions between Beijing and Ottawa.  

New Delhi’s ambassador to Ottawa admitted a “lot of dialogue” is going on to restore relations after a diplomatic spat  India was “convicted” of the murder of a Canadian citizen even before the investigation was completed, New Delhi’s ambassador to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has said. These comments come days after New Delhi resumed e-visa services for Canadians amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries.  The envoy, appearing for an interview with CTV News, vehemently denied New Delhi’s involvement in the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. “It is still an allegation,” Verma pointed out. “We are a country of [the] rule of law, and all the freedoms have been given in the Indian Constitution. They are our pillars; we will not go beyond that,” he underlined. Verma reiterated that New Delhi would help “if there is anything specific and relevant and communicated to us” while suggesting that India was “convicted” even before Canadian authorities asked to cooperate in the investigation. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had earlier claimed that Canada has yet to provide any evidence to support its accusations against India.  In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government had “credible allegations” linking Nijjar’s death to Indian agents. Nijjar, a leader of the movement for a separate Khalistan state in India’s Punjab region, was designated as a terrorist by New Delhi in 2020.  Trudeau’s accusations created an unprecedented diplomatic row, with both countries expelling top-level diplomats and India halting visa services to Canadian citizens, citing threats to its diplomatic staff. Negotiations on a free trade agreement have also been suspended.  When asked about the current state of affairs between the two countries, the envoy asserted that the “security situation” concerning Indian diplomats in Canada has improved, which prompted India to resume e-visa services in the country last week.  “The relationship is better than it was a couple of months back,” Verma revealed, adding that a “lot of dialogue” is going on between the two governments, and most of it is constructive.  He also acknowledged that, in the early days of the spat, “emotions became very high.” “A bit of [the] emotional element will be there when the decisions are taken,” he added. India’s primary concern, the diplomat said, is that Canadian soil is being used "to launch attacks on [the] sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.” His statements came against the backdrop of an incident involving another Indian envoy in the US, which has a large contingent of Khalistan sympathizers. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s ambassador to the US, was mobbed and heckled by a group believed to be Khalistan supporters while on a visit to the Hicksville Gurdwara in Long Island, New York on Sunday.  In the video posted on social media, people can be seen shouting accusations, such as, “You are responsible for Nijjar’s killing! You plotted to kill [Gurpatwant Singh] Pannun!” Last week, several media outlets reported that US authorities had thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who, like Nijjar, is listed as a terrorist by New Delhi. According to a senior official in the administration of US President Joe Biden, quoted by the Financial Times, Washington had warned New Delhi over concerns about its involvement in the case. Source: RT

The President of Baloch Voice Association (BVA), Munir Mengal on Tuesday questioned the Canadian authorities for not investigating the “mysterious” death of Human rights activist, Karima Baloch and requested them to public the evidence they found in the case. “To the Canadian government and particularly to the Prime Minister of Canada, we Baloch are looking to your organization and we are asking you please do reinvestigate the case of Karima Baloch and whatever facts your organizations, your authorities, your police has. Please publish that and give us under what circumstances she was killed and who was behind that killing,” Mengal said. Source: The Print

India on Wednesday issued an alert to its citizens regarding travel to Canada amid a diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Ottawa over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in the Vancouver metropolitan area.  "In view of growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there, and those contemplating travel, are urged to exercise utmost caution," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement posted on social media.   Hundreds of thousands of Indians choose to study in Canada. The Indian government called on Indian students in the North American country "to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant," citing what it called Canada's "deteriorating security environment." Canada probes 'credible accusations' as Sikhs call for justice  Tensions between India and Canada skyrocketed on Monday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was probing "credible allegations" tying Indian agents to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau also announced that Canada would expel an Indian diplomat over the controversy.  Nijjar, an Indian-born figurehead in the separatist Khalistan movement who holds Canadian citizenship, was killed by masked gunmen in British Colombia in June. The act, which occurred outside of a Sikh religious center, stirred outrage among members of that religious minority in Canada.   "We are happy to see India being held accountable," Harkit Singh Dhadda, an attorney in the greater Toronto area and a prominent voice in the city's Sikh community, told AFP news agency.  "We want a full investigation that brings to justice the people involved in this assassination, including those who pulled the trigger and the ones who plotted this assassination," he added. Canada has not yet provided concrete evidence that India was behind Nijjar's killing. A source told Reuters news agency that Canada cooperated "very closely" with the US on intelligence connecting India to Nijjar's murder.    As Trudeau faces a tough election battle in 2025, his top opponent, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, urged the government Tuesday to "come clean" on information regarding India's role in the murder.    India calls Canada's claims 'absurd' India has rebuked the "absurd" notion that it had anything to do with Nijjar's killing. After Trudeau's accusations this week, New Delhi said on Tuesday it handed a Canadian diplomat a five-day notice to leave India.      Indian authorities formally listed Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020, a label which he has rejected. In the 1970s and 1980s, members of the Khalistan movement waged an insurgency in the northern Indian state of Punjab, leading to a bloody conflict with the Indian government.   India's Hindu nationalist government has accused Canada of being soft on Sikh separatism. The opposition Indian National Congress Party has backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in its firm stance on the matter.  A senior Congress legislator, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has called Trudeau's defense of Nijjar "shameful" and said the "Canadian regime is in bed with Khalistani sympathizers."  The debacle over Nijjar's killing has caused Canada-India relations to sink to their lowest level in years. It's a reversal from 2018, when Trudeau visited India for a week, with the prime minister ostentatiously showing off Indian attire.    Sikhism is India's fourth most prevalent religion after Hinduism, Islam and Christianity in that order, according to the country's last census in 2011. Just under 2% of the population were registered as Sikh in that study. The Khalistan movement seeks to establish a Sikh homeland on northern Indian or Pakistani territory, with various suggestions on precisely where or how large it ought to be.

Canada on Monday ordered an Indian diplomat leave the country as it investigates the killing of a prominent Canadian Sikh leader who was shot in British Columbia in June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that an investigation into "credible allegations" that Indian state actors could be behind the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was ongoing. Ottowa's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said: "If proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other." "As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat," Joy said without stating exactly whom.  Canada is home to hundreds of thousands of people of Indian origin, many of whom are Sikhs. The White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement the US was "deeply concerned about the allegations" made by Canada. "We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada's investigation proceeds and the perpetrators be brought to justice," the statement read. India rejects allegations India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that: "Allegations of the Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated."  Such "allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.  Who is the Sikh leader in question and what is the issue? Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot on the premises of a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June of this year. Nijjar was declared a terrorist by the Indian government a few years ago because of his activism for a separate homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab region of India. The fight for a separate Sikh state or the "Khalistan" movement has its roots in the partition of the Indian subcontinent along religious lines. The 1947 partition sent Muslims to the newly created Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs to India. Punjab province, which was divided between India and Pakistan, saw deadly violence. The Khalistan movement was crushed by the Indian government in the years that followed, especially in the 1980s. The decade saw violent anti-Sikh riots that killed thousands, and the movement was banned, with Indian officials citing it as a security threat. Trudeau spoke to Modi at G20 The Indian government had put Nijjar on a wanted list and accused him of being actively involved in the networking and training of the separatist group he headed. Many in Canada and elsewhere alleged that the Indian government was behind the death of Nijjar. Trudeau said intelligence agencies were looking into those allegations. "Over the past number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau said. Trudeau added that he brought up the slaying with Modi at the G20 summit. Trudeau said he told Modi that any Indian government involvement would be unacceptable and that he asked for cooperation in the investigation. The Indian government in its response to the conversation between the leaders said that allegations at the time were also "completely rejected."

The Canadian government published an advisory on Tuesday asking LGBTQ+ people to be careful about traveling to the United States. "Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons," the advisory said. "Check relevant state and local laws," it added. Canada's travel advisories typically focus on risks linked to political instability or natural disasters, however the overall risk profile for the US remains at green, indicating a normal security precautions requirement. Anti-LGBTQ laws on the rise in some states   The US has seen a significant increase in the number of state governments introducing anti-LGBTQ laws. The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said there had been more than 525 bills on anti-LGBTQ issues in 41 US states this year alone.  76 of those had been signed into law as of early June, more than any year on record and more than double over last year. There were 115 similar bills introduced in 2015, the group said to place this year's figure in context. The group declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ people in the US for this first time in its more than 40-year history. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that government had employed experts to monitor whether there were particular dangers to particular groups of Canadians. She declined to comment on whether the Biden administration had been consulted before making the change. Canada is home to 40 million people, of whom about a million recognize themselves as belonging to the LGBTQ community, according to Statistics Canada.

Google said Canada's new Online News Act, aimed at bolstering the nation's struggling news sector, is "unworkable." Google has become the latest tech giant to restrict Canadian users from accessing local news content on its platforms over a new law that will require digital firms to compensate media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose. The Online News Act, passed last week, aims to bolster the struggling Canadian news sector, which has witnessed numerous publications shuttering over the past decade. Under the legislation, tech companies are required to establish equitable commercial agreements with Canadian news outlets for the news and information disseminated on their platforms or face binding arbitration. What did Google say? Google issued a statement expressing its view that the law is "unworkable" and stated that the government has not provided assurances that the "structural issues with the legislation" would be resolved during its implementation. In a blog post, Google added that the new law will make it more challenging for Canadians to find news online and for journalists to reach their audiences. However, individuals in Canada will still retain the ability to access news from Canadian websites by directly typing the respective web addresses into a browser or through dedicated applications. Google's decision to block Canadian news comes after unsuccessful discussions with the government aimed at reaching a resolution. Meta, another tech giant, also announced last week that it would block Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram. The two companies, which command a significant share of online advertising, have faced accusations of disrupting revenues of traditional news organizations while utilizing their content free of charge. "We have informed the government that we have made the difficult decision... to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News, and Discover products and will no longer be able to operate Google News Showcase in Canada," Google stated. Millions for Canadian newspapers? Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist, emphasized that the loss of revenues flowing out of Canadian newsrooms poses a problem not only for affected journalists but for the entire country. She highlighted the need for well-compensated journalists to maintain a strong culture, a healthy society, and robust politics. A parliamentary budget watchdog report from October 2022 estimated that the Online News Act would result in Canadian newspapers receiving approximately $249 million (€229 million) annually from digital platforms. Canada's legislation builds on Australia's New Media Bargaining Code, the world's first, which compelled Google and Meta to pay for news content on their platforms.