Ezra Levant warns Canada’s C-11 law—passed under Justin Trudeau—turns platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Rumble into CRTC-regulated broadcasters, threatening free speech. He outlines resistance: visiting stopc11.com, signing a petition at stopcec11.com, public hearings with fact sheets, and a $500K constitutional challenge involving journalists. Citing Trudeau’s alleged $400K Chinese donation and a diplomat’s threats against MP Michael Chong, Levant ties censorship to foreign influence, urging action before the internet’s last free space vanishes. Meanwhile, France’s violent protests mirror global backlash against undemocratic policies like Macron’s pension reforms, exposing cracks in centralized power. [Automatically generated summary]
That's the censorship law that was passed, rammed through the Senate.
I said I was going to do something about it.
In today's show, I'll outline the four things I'm going to do, and I'd like to invite you to help me do these four things.
It's all about the website, stopce11.com.
So please watch the show.
And if you're listening to it as a podcast, consider getting the video version of this podcast.
Go to RebelNewsPlus.com.
RebelNewsplus.com.
It's $8 a month to get what we call Rebel News Plus, the video version.
I do the show every weeknight, as you know.
And the money helps pay our bills because we do not take money from Trudeau and its shows.
All right, here's today's podcast.
Tonight, our plan to stop Trudeau's C-11 censorship law.
It's May 1st, and this is the Ezra Levant show.
For more than a year, we've been ringing the alarm about Trudeau's censorship plans.
Well, they're here now.
His bill to nationalize control of the internet to make it subject to his legal control was rammed through the Senate last week.
I'll tell you more in a moment, but my purpose today isn't so much to report the news as to tell you what we're going to do about it in the hopes that you'll join us.
We've set up a website at stopc11.com where we've laid out the plan and where you can go to help.
I'll get back to that website in a moment, but first, some quick background.
Trudeau has proposed four different censorship laws, each one more punitive than the one before.
The first one, Bill C-11, is the most important one because it declares that websites are legally now the same as old-fashioned TV and radio stations, and so Trudeau's CRTC regulator can tell them what to do.
It says companies like Facebook and YouTube and Twitter and Rumble are now broadcasters like radio stations, and they can be regulated by Trudeau.
Take a look here at the things Trudeau plans to do to these internet broadcasters.
Here's the list of conditions.
That's actually what it's called in the law.
Conditions that Trudeau says internet companies have to obey to be allowed in Canada.
Section 9.11A, for example, says Trudeau can determine the proportion of programs to be broadcast that shall be Canadian programs and the proportion of time that shall be devoted to the broadcasting of Canadian programs.
So the number of programs and the amount of time.
That's very detailed programming by Trudeau.
This applies to music, to TV shows, to movies, and it applies to news content like Rebel News, too.
Just look through these conditions here, the amount of French language content, the amount of diversity content, and I'm sure Elon Musk will love this one.
They have to disclose financial or commercial information to Trudeau.
Now, to me, the scariest part of these conditions is 9.11E, which forces the internet companies to promote the content that Trudeau's regulator tells them to promote.
They call that discoverability.
For example, when YouTube or Facebook suggests a video for you, your For You page, that's based on their algorithm.
It's actually based on your own viewing habits, no more.
This section in the law says Trudeau can regulate, quote, the presentation of programs and programming services for selection by the public.
So now Trudeau can tell Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Rumble, Netflix, Spotify, whoever which videos to promote and which videos not to promote, which ones to boost and which ones to hide.
Gee, I wonder what he's going to do with news sources that he doesn't like.
Organizations, organizations like yours, yours, that continue to spread misinformation and disinformation.
I won't call it a media organization.
Your group of individuals need to take accountability for polarization that we're seeing in this country.
It's disappointing to see the conservatives engage in peddling, engage in peddling rebel media, conspiracy theories.
Yeah, he hates rebel news.
He just can't stop obsessing over us.
If it was, and if the card, the supreme federal court, we all today.
I am scientifically, and I ban on the suit.
Israel is the country more vaccinated at vaccine.
And since their vaccine is considered vaccine, it is my vaccine.
My question is: more Canadians desert a rappelle of vaccine.
The privilege or pin vaccines.
And you oblige my prime minister or abolition.
Could you imagine putting Trudeau in charge of what you can see or hear on the internet and letting him command the internet companies in the way I've just listed in the law?
That is the law now.
And like I say, he has three more laws lined up right after this one, including a law that would allow the Trudeau government to literally ban a website it doesn't like to ban it.
They seem really excited about that.
Envision having blocking orders.
I mean, that's that maybe.
It's not, you know, it's a it would be it would likely be a last resolve, last resolve nuclear bomb in a toolbox of mechanism for regulators.
Three more censorship laws to come, including one that has fines of tens of thousands of dollars if you publish something offensive online, even if you were just a kid when you did it.
It's actually in the law.
But all of those laws depend on the one that was just passed last week, C-11.
Because none of this works if Trudeau doesn't give himself the jurisdiction, the power to regulate what you see, hear, or say on the internet.
That's what's new.
And he just did that in C-11.
So what are you going to do about it?
I mean, you can talk about it.
You can tell people about it.
You can learn more about it yourself.
And that's good, but it is passive.
I think that's being a bit of a spectator in life, which is what most journalists are, by the way.
We're reporters, we're voyeurs, even.
We're not doers.
We report on other people who do things.
That's one of my favorite things about Rebel News.
Every once in a while, we get involved to do things, not just to talk about things.
And sometimes we can really make a difference.
We crowdfunded lawyers to defend more than 2,500 people during the lockdowns, and we challenged the worst of the lockdown laws and mandates in court.
We're still defending close to 100 truckers, by the way.
More directly relevant, we went to court to fight against Trudeau's censorship before, and we beat him twice in a row in 2019 and then 2021.
Those two federal elections, Trudeau banned Rebel News and other independent media from attending the election debates.
It was a real David versus Goliath fight twice, and we won both times.
So it's hard.
It's an uphill battle, but it is possible to beat him.
And as Wayne Gretzky always said, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
Well, let's take a shot.
In fact, I've got four shots I think we can take.
Let me tell you the four things I think could make a real difference.
And I'd like to invite you to join with us.
Here's the four things.
Number one, visit stopc11.com.
It's a special website we've set up with all of our reporting on C11.
You can see videos where we go through the law line by line.
You can see our reporting on how the law was rammed through.
You can see what critics are saying that this law will do to internet freedom.
It's basically our one-stop shop for people to learn about the law.
That's stopce11.com.
Check it out.
Number two, sign the petition at stopcec11.com.
You'll see on the right-hand side of the page a petition to the Heritage Minister to repeal the law.
Now, obviously, the current Heritage Minister isn't going to listen to us.
He's a Trudeau puppet.
He does whatever his master says.
In fact, sometimes I wonder if he's even read the law.
Listen to him lie with a straight face about that discoverability algorithm.
It's understood that it's not about creators or land creators, because it is not.
Think about it.
People are saying, oh my God, they're going to be watching us and passing a judgment on my content.
It's millions of videos every day that are uploaded.
Who could check that?
First, we're not interested.
But even if we were, who could do that?
It's impossible.
But you might be creating through these new regulations a different way of sort of a different algorithm, basically.
I mean, I literally just showed you section 9.11, where the law specifically requires YouTube and Facebook and the rest of them to promote or demote whatever the government tells them to.
It's in black and white.
Has he even read the bill?
So he won't listen to the petition, obviously, but maybe the next Heritage Minister will, especially if the Conservatives win the next election.
But the point is, we can get, I think we can get 100,000 or more signatures.
And if we can do that, we can show the entire country that real Canadians do not support the idea of Trudeau controlling the Internet.
So please sign the petition, and that will also let us keep in touch with you about news from our battle.
Number three, go to the public hearings and speak out.
Look, Trudeau and his papa, Pablo Rodriguez, probably won't listen to you.
I mean, they didn't even listen to members of their own party who called for amendments to this bill, who worried about this bill.
They laughed in the face of any amendments, but we have to show the world that only Trudeau shills and Trudeau cronies support this.
I showed you on Friday that the government has announced that they're going to have public hearings across the country.
That's sort of weird to pass the law and then have hearings about it.
Like I say, they will most likely ignore everything they hear there, but the rest of the world won't ignore them.
My goal is that every Canadian who rejects Trudeau controlling the Internet shows up to speak at these hearings by the thousand.
I don't just want liberal party hacks there going to salute their corrupt leader.
I want normal people there to show up and to speak truth to power and to let the government know and to let the rest of Canada know that we don't accept China-style censorship.
We don't let our politicians control the internet.
So when the list of public hearings is made public, when it's published on the government website, we will let you know where and we will invite you to attend in your area.
We'll even put together helpful fact sheets about C-11 to help you speak with confidence and knowledge at these consultations.
I know in my bones that the only people who actually support C-11 are insiders, either Liberal Party insiders or people that Trudeau shovels money to.
No normal people would support this sort of censorship.
Who would let Justin Trudeau choose what you watch and hear and read?
We have to prove that normal people don't support this.
In massive numbers, we have to prove it.
So when those public hearings are scheduled, we will post them on stopce11.com along with helpful fact sheets to assist you in your remarks.
Number four, this is the big one.
Constitutional litigation.
You know, it's the most expensive of the four steps.
Step one is the website.
Step two is the petition.
Step three are the public hearings.
But in a way, all of those are still just talk, right?
Step four is about going to a court and asking a judge to block this law on the basis of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In short, this law will infringe on our fundamental freedoms.
If our Charter means anything, it must stop Trudeau from commandeering the Internet.
The constitutional challenge has to be done right by experienced lawyers who are used to high-stakes litigation, who have done constitutional challenges, who are used to fighting long odds.
The lawsuit has to be smart because Trudeau will throw everything he has at defending it.
When we challenged Trudeau in 2021 in the federal court, we had one lawyer.
Trudeau threw seven lawyers at us.
He'll do anything to win.
So we have to be good, which is why we need to move first.
I don't want someone else out there to challenge the law with a weak lawyer or a weak argument.
I don't want a wobbly case to be the test case to set a bad precedent.
I want the best foot forward with the best plaintiffs and the best lawyers and the best arguments.
That should be the one that sets the precedent.
Obviously, Rebel News is going to be a plaintiff.
I've heard other journalists call C-11 the kill rebel law.
It's so obvious.
But other independent journalists and content creators should be part of the lawsuit too.
So it's not just us.
In fact, the more plaintiffs, the better if they have a genuine interest in this case.
And if you have a genuine interest as a potential plaintiff, send me an email to Ezra at rebelnews.com if you think you're in a position to join the lawsuit if you have standing in the matter.
I'm not talking about a class action.
I'm talking about journalists or other content creators who are at risk from this censorship law.
Call to Action: Stop C-1100:02:54
And finally, there's no other way to say it.
We're going to need up to $500,000 to fight this battle.
And it's probably going to take us years.
Sorry, that's just the facts.
I know this from years of litigation on these other matters, including the lockdown law.
So we need good lawyers who know their stuff, who will fight like lions, who are ready for the government's likely responses, who can match the government's experts with our experts, who can go toe-to-toe with the Justice Department and their hired guns from the private sector.
It's a hard thing to do, but we've done it before.
We've done it before, and we've won.
Look, I think we have to do this now.
If we don't do this, who will?
Who will launch a serious lawsuit with serious lawyers with the staying power to fight this as long as it takes, even if it takes years?
I think it has to be us.
Who else is going to do it?
The CBC?
The Canadian Association of Journalists, whose members only care about getting more government subsidies from Trudeau?
They're on his side.
Has to be us.
And by us, I mean you too.
Will you please join with me in our four-point plan to stop C-11?
Justin Trudeau is obsessed with controlling what Canadians can read or see.
He already owns the CBC, the state broadcaster, and he controls the rest of Canada's TV and radio stations through the government regulator called the CRTC.
And recently, he has plowed hundreds of millions of dollars into newspapers to shape their narrative too.
The internet is the last free place, which is why he seeks to rule over it.
But the internet is supposed to be free.
Join me in our four-point plan.
Go to stopce11.com, sign the petition, go to a public hearing in your area to speak truth to power and help us challenge this law in court by chipping in to help cover our legal fees or even by joining us as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Trudeau thinks this is over.
You saw Pablo Rodriguez.
He's practically giddy.
The fight to stop C-11 is bigger than all other fights because if we lose the ability to speak freely on the internet, if we lose control of the internet to Trudeau, well, good luck in ever fighting anything again.
Go to StopC11.com and together, let's fight for freedom.
Welcome back.
Well, it is May the 1st.
That's not an important day to some people, but to socialists and communists, May Day is a day of action and rage.
Unifying Protests in France00:03:17
And there's a long tradition in France of street protests that turn downright violent, bloody, smoky, and tear gassy.
I should point out that despite all that, France does not invoke the Emergencies Act like Timid Trudeau did with some honking of horns from some truckers.
There's very large protests going on in France, and it would be inaccurate to say that they're merely left-wing protests.
In fact, there has been a general discontent among the populace towards Emmanuel Macron and his globalist policies.
You might recall the yellow vests, the Gilet Jaune movement, was actually a protest started by truckers and drivers against a carbon tax and the bizarre rule that they had to have a yellow vest in their glove box.
Indeed, these days, France is positively roiling by protests, left, right, and center.
So we went to try and find out a little bit more about it.
As you know, we have two rebels based in the UK, so it's a quick jaunt for them from London to Paris.
And joining me now from the streets of Paris is our friend Callum Smiles, who is battling Teary Eyes from Tear Gas.
Callum, looks like you're having a bit of trouble talking.
Tell me what you've seen and done today.
Well, as we're seeing, I'm not seeing very much right now.
My eyes and thumbs are full of tear gas.
But Paris is full of protesters.
Spoken to some people, they say they think this is actually the biggest protest they've ever actually seen.
I saw rumors on Twitter about over a million, I can't confirm that, but you know, a few people were talking about it.
Um, this piece of marble here landed just at my feet.
Um, and about five, ten minutes ago, well, I've spoken to some people today who've lost eyes previously at previous protests, and about five, ten minutes ago, a tear gas canister went about half a foot over my head, so I was nearly one of them.
It's uh certainly been interesting.
Well, spin around a little bit so we can see uh pan around so we can see behind you.
Um, tell us where you are and and what we're looking at there.
So, there's a really large uh roundabout at the end of Boulevard Voltaire, literally all the way over there on the roundabout, is full of protesters.
And then I'll show you over here, and then behind is the majority of the police, and they have this kind of cat and mouse game where the protesters will be throwing things, i.e., that piece of marble I just showed you, and then the police will rush in with tear gas, they've used a water cannon, they're going with battens, and like I said, the best way to describe it is a game of cat and mouse.
Now, uh, I started off by saying May Day is traditionally a day for leftists.
People Versus Macron00:06:37
Uh, is this a left-wing protest?
Is it an everybody protest?
Is it a people versus the powerful protest?
What exactly are they talking about?
Why are they motivated to protest?
It is typically usually a very left-wing protest.
There is a large left-wing presence here, um, but this is an issue that's almost united all of France.
It seems to be the people against Macron and his police.
We've seen a large number of firemen.
Oh, I don't know if you can see over my shoulder there, there's a fire in the park, but this is almost a unify, in the strangest of ways, a unifying moment here in France.
Okay, but what is the substance of the protest?
So, the protest, you say, is beyond just the traditional left wing, but what are the issues?
If you ask people why are you here, what would they say?
The problem everyone has here is the lack of democracy.
They are saying that Emmanuel Macron has undemocratically raised the state pension age without the consent, consensus of the people.
Are there other issues besides raising the age of retirement in an undemocratic fashion?
Well, there's been a general bubbling throughout Europe, especially in the UK, against this idea of this cost of living crisis, which many people are saying is artificially inflated, that it's actually not being caused by anything that should cause inflation.
However, many people are saying this is actually the government artificially inflating things to make the people poorer and to get rid of the middle class.
Well, listen, I'm glad you're over there.
Stay safe.
Looks like you got a good helmet on.
I saw you earlier with a gas mask on, which I suppose you need from that tear gas.
It looks like it really stings and it must hurt the lungs too.
Well, listen, good luck out there.
Stay safe and do your best to find out.
Oh, looks like we got things in the middle of the action.
So this is that game of cat and mouse I was telling you about.
So the police now rush out, they throw the tear gas canisters, which I'm not looking forward to coming back again.
And then they will almost sometimes they detain the people who they think are causing the trouble.
They rush out in almost like the Roman tortoise defensive formation, you know, with the shields above and in front, grab those they think are causing problems, take them away, detain them.
And so the game continues.
Well, thank you for it.
That's very exciting.
I'll let you go.
Put your goggles back on.
That looks like very thick tear gas.
I'd love to see in the hours and days ahead.
I'm not sure how long you're going to be there for.
I'd love to see Parisians and other French explain what it is about their country that has gone so wrong and to whom they ascribe it.
Macron is the consummate globalist.
He's like Trudeau and Jacinda Ardern.
There's no bad idea that he doesn't get behind.
I'd like to hear it, not just criticisms from the left, but from the right and the center.
Why are these the largest protests?
And I'd also like to hear from Frenchmen, why do they think this is not getting wide coverage overseas?
I mean, these are enormous protests.
You mentioned a million people or more.
I wonder why, and is it that?
Is it because Macron is a favorite of the globalist set?
Callum, stay safe out there.
I look forward to all your reports at FranceonTheedge.com.
That's a page where we'll put it all.
Stay safe, my friend.
Thank you.
All right, there you have it.
Callum Smiles from our UK office in the streets of Paris.
Very interesting.
Stay with us.
More ahead.
Hey, welcome back.
Your letters to me.
TJC71 says Tamara Leeds should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her fight against human rights abuse.
I actually think, if I recall, I think she might have been.
I think she should definitely get the Order of Canada.
And I don't know if there's an Order of Alberta, but if there is, she should get it.
If she was a woman of the left, she would have those things already.
Someone with, I think it's the nickname, I mean, maybe it's the name their mama gave them, beep, beep, boop, says, seems strange that there are so many politicians that would vote C-11 in in the wake of finding out Trudeau took $400,000 from Chinese Communist Party and all the censorship and lying he has done.
Seems like they must all have something to hide.
Oh, they're all in on it.
I see the news today that there is a diplomat from China in Canada.
And when you're a diplomat, you have to show your credentials and be approved.
Governments can't just choose what diplomat to send to another country.
They need that other country's approval.
So there is a diplomat in this country from Communist China whose credentials have been accepted by Canada who was in charge of smearing and threatening a Canadian MP's family back in Hong Kong.
Michael Chong is the MP.
His family back in Hong Kong was punished by Communist Party because of Michael Jong's comments here in Canada.
And Trudeau knew about that and kept that a secret.
It was only revealed in the Globe and Mail today.
How crazy is that?
They're all in on it.
Newfie 101 says Alberta needs to separate from Canada and join the U.S.
They have a constitution to protect citizens' rights.
You know, I'm not sure if joining the U.S. would be a better answer than being independent.
But I tell you one thing, if Alberta were to secede from Canada in some way, either to become independent, to become part of some Western Canadian entity, or yeah, join the U.S., I think the dominoes would fall because how long would Saskatchewan stick around?
Frankly, I think BC would probably take the opportunity to get out too.
And would the rest of Canada want to stay in a confederation where Ontario had the majority of all the votes and the seats?
Would Crack Things Open00:00:18
I think it would crack things open, but what would re-emerge from it would likely be fairer and more democratic.