Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C.'s premier urges Meta to allow news sharing in B.C. amid wildfire crisis

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Aug, 2023 02:11 PM
  • B.C.'s premier urges Meta to allow news sharing in B.C. amid wildfire crisis

Premier David Eby is calling on the social media company Meta to reverse its decision to block Canadian news from being shared online in British Columbia, saying it feels like it is holding the province "ransom" in its ongoing spat with Ottawa.

Eby is imploring the company and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, to open up access to critical information that could help keep residents safe as the province grapples with devastating wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes.

He says the decision to permanently ban Canadian news on Facebook an Instragram is "incredibly frustrating" and he hopes "common sense prevails."

Meta's decision to block news came in response to Canada's Online News Act, which will require tech giants like Meta and Google to make deals with news publishers whose content they link to or repurpose on their platforms to compensate them for their work.

Meta showed an unwillingness to co-operate on a potential deal and decided to remove news content from its platforms in Canada instead.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed Eby's sentiments at an earlier news conference in Charlottetown, saying it is "inconceivable" that a company would put corporate interests and profits over people's safety during an emergency.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. government announces new programs, police standards for sexual assault

B.C. government announces new programs, police standards for sexual assault
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says survivors deserve to be treated fairly after going through trauma and shielded from further harm, and the new standards and programs will "empower" those people.  The province says the funding for the new programs kicks in this month, while new policing standards coupling investigators with victims services workers will begin next year, applying to all B.C. police officers. 

B.C. government announces new programs, police standards for sexual assault

RCMP say body found of one of four people missing in Nova Scotia floods

RCMP say body found of one of four people missing in Nova Scotia floods
RCMP in Nova Scotia say they have found the body of one of the people who went missing over the weekend during massive flooding across the province. Police say they recovered the body of a 52-year-old man.

RCMP say body found of one of four people missing in Nova Scotia floods

Canada hailed for focusing foreign aid on women's rights amid global backslide

Canada hailed for focusing foreign aid on women's rights amid global backslide
Ottawa announced projects to support people working in the caring economy at a major foreign-aid conference focused on women's advancement. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan also offered details at the Women Deliver conference in Rwanda about how $200 million in previously announced funding would be allocated.

Canada hailed for focusing foreign aid on women's rights amid global backslide

Showers for much of B.C., but evacuation orders, alerts grow in drought-ridden south

Showers for much of B.C., but evacuation orders, alerts grow in drought-ridden south
For the first time in more than a month, showers and cooler weather are reaching parched sections of British Columbia, potentially bringing some respite for crews battling hundreds of wildfires. Environment Canada says about 20 millimetres of rain should dampen Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver.

Showers for much of B.C., but evacuation orders, alerts grow in drought-ridden south

Mayhem in the City:The Plight of Public Safety Amidst the Aftermath of the Hardeep Singh Nijjar Shooting

Mayhem in the City:The Plight of Public Safety Amidst the Aftermath of the Hardeep Singh Nijjar Shooting
Recent incidents, including the tragic shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar that unfolded in our city, have brought this issue to the forefront, sparking discussions and calls for action. As we grapple with the aftermath of such events, it is essential to delve deeper into the multifaceted nature of public safety. 

Mayhem in the City:The Plight of Public Safety Amidst the Aftermath of the Hardeep Singh Nijjar Shooting

Boy nearly drowns in Port Moody lake

Boy nearly drowns in Port Moody lake
Police in Port Moody say a 14-year-old boy is in hospital in critical condition after he nearly drowned in a Metro Vancouver lake. They say that around 4 p-m on Saturday, first responders were called to Sasamat Lake for a report of a possible drowning.

Boy nearly drowns in Port Moody lake