What to do about the Online Streaming Act - A Libertarian Perspective.
Michael Geist hosted Peter Menzies to discuss the new Online Streaming Act and how unprepared the CRTC is to implement it. Canadians’ respect for the CRTC is low and headed much lower.
On tenderhooks
Like most industry insiders and public servants, Dr. Michael Geist and Peter Menzies suffer from Blind Privilege - people who have little to no appreciation for the challenges non-government workers and business owners face daily just to survive in their competitive, non-subsidized markets.
Both men are either employed or subsided by the government, and/or are industry stakeholders who are unlikely to support any government decisions that might harm their self-interests. Fortunately for them, they have “public money” and “preferential legislation” stored in the HONEY POT which will continue to enable and fortify their Blind Privilege.
Menzies, a former CRTC chairman and newspaper executive, parsed his words carefully to avoid wading into politically controversial waters. This need for self-censorship must weigh heavily on his conscience because there must be some part of his being that silently whispers “tell the unvarnished truth” but fear of the consequences undoubtedly reigns over these impulses. Peter still has plenty to say about the current CRTC leadership, however.
Michael Geist is a career public servant. He swims in public policy and, like a fish in water, he has limited understanding of people who earn their livelihood in the unfamiliar waters of competitive, ‘for profit’ markets.
Where were Parental Controls in this discussion?
The delicate ears and sensibilities of some rancorous, autocratic citizens seem to take priority in the domain of politics where freedom of speech is concerned. If these snowflakes are so easily violated by the opinions of others, why not simply use the modern information equivalent of the chastity belt - the parental controls switch?
As Peter Menzies said in the podcast, the CRTC is way over its head in dealing with online streaming and its alleged threats to Canadian content by the digital media giants. Trying to regulate this sector is like the little Dutch Boy using his finger to plug a growing hole in the dike that holds back the Atlantic Ocean.
The best plan for the CRTC.
Let’s all acknowledge that the CRTC cannot fulfill its stated mandate. Let’s eliminate up to 90% of its legislated responsibilities and terminate all of the staff that enforce them (poorly, I might add).
Allow the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms to define the limitations to the CRTC’s authority. Expect Canadian citizens to exercise their Individual Freedoms and Personal Responsibility to enable Parental Controls whenever they feel the need to seek out a Safe Space from disturbing thoughts and feelings. Psychotherapy may also be advised in some cases.
We don’t need a massive, expensive, bureaucratic institution like the CRTC to babysit our nation. Everyone knows this, except those public servants and other stakeholders whose incomes depend on it. I don’t recall at any time agreeing to financially-subsidize government jobs, especially those that serve to restrict my Freedom of Informed Choice.
Digital Direct Democracy must come to Canada.
Where is the online Citizens’ Preferences Directory (CPD) when I need it!? I want to opt out of any obligations to remit tax payments that fund the CRTC. If enough citizens could do this, we will finally know how much money Canadians are willing to pay voluntarily to subsidize an institution for which they hold little public trust or respect.
Voting with your wallet is always preferable to voting once every 4 years for a complete stranger to sit among 338 other complete strangers in Parliament, all pretending to represent some 100,000 souls living within they electoral riding. Fat chance.