Pablo Rodriguez testified to a House of Commons committee that other programs will help tiny news organizations, serving small communities, that the Liberals’ Bill C-18 excludes. Alberta Conservative MP Martin Shields told him the newspapers in his Bow River riding don’t meet the bill’s minimum requirement of employing at least two journalists. “Minister, this doesn’t help the weekly newspapers that cover everything in my riding, in the communities,” Shields said. (The Logic)

Talking point: Bill C-18 would require platforms like Facebook and Google to negotiate payments with Canadian journalism organizations if they cover general news and have two or more journalists. Rodriguez said small outlets that do qualify can bargain collectively with the platforms; the smallest ones will continue benefiting from other programs. The Parliamentary Budget Office reported Oct. 6 that C-18 will lead to more than $329 million in transfers to news organizations but supplemented that finding with a breakdown saying nearly $247 million of that will go to broadcasters.