Elon Musk, entrepreneur extraordinaire and tech billionaire, has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of trying to crush free speech in the country. This comes after Canada announced changes to its broadcasting framework and asked for certain information from broadcasters. 

“Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful,” said Musk on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a post by journalist Glenn Greenwald. Greenwald had tweeted, “The Canadian government, armed with one of the world’s most repressive online censorship schemes, announces that all “online streaming services that offer podcasts” must formally register with the government to permit regulatory controls.” 

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC) announced on Friday its plans to “modernise Canada’s broadcasting framework and ensure online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content”. 

Among the changes, the CRTC said that social media services must register, and “online services that offer podcasts must register”. “Online services that only provide video game services or audiobooks do not have to register,” it said. 

The CRTC had launched its first public consultations on May 12, 2023 and issued its “first two decisions” on Friday.

It added that online streaming services that operate in Canada, offer broadcasting content, and earn more than $10 million or more in revenues must complete a registration form by November 28. 

Certain online streaming services now need to provide CRTC with information related to their content and subscribership. 

A third consultation on contributions traditional broadcasters and online streaming services will need to make to support Canadian and indigenous content is ongoing, CRTC said.

Musk and Greenwald’s criticism of Trudeau “crushing” free speech comes months after and in contrast of what the Canadian PM had said about freedom of expression. Before Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, he had vouched for the freedom of expression of his citizens. India had raised its concerns following the inaction of the Canadian government on the Khalistani issue. “We have an extremely diverse country and freedom of expression is something that we have. But, we will also make sure that we are pushing back against violence and extremism in all its forms,” he had then told reporters. 

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi responded, “The issue is not about freedom of expression. But its misuse for advocating violence, for propagating separatism and for legitimising terrorism. That’s what we would like to emphasise.”