Discussion · Government Orders
Mario Simard Bloc Québécois
“The government often backs down to big tech companies, like it did with digital taxes. Those companies might get the American president to put economic pressure on Canada over this bill. Does my colleague also worry the government will give in to that pressure?”
“Mr. Speaker, I am wondering whether my colleague shares my concern. As we have seen, the government has occasionally had a regrettable tendency to let the tech giants off easy. We need only think of the digital services tax or the levies, two areas where the government has backed down. We know that legislation like this is likely to displease platforms like Facebook. We also know how much influence these people can have on the U.S. President. Does my colleague fear, as I do, that the government might end up backing down if the Americans were to exert economic pressure to persuade us not to go down this route?”
Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering whether my colleague shares my concern. As we have seen, the government has occasionally had a regrettable tendency to let the tech giants off easy. We need only think of the digital services tax or the levies, two areas where the government has backed down. We know that legislation like this is likely to displease platforms like Facebook. We also know how much influence these people can have on the U.S. President. Does my colleague fear, as I do, that the government might end up backing down if the Americans were to exert economic pressure to persuade us not to go down this route?