Changes by the Liberal government mean that government-approved media companies that have already received millions in government funding can double dip into taxpayer coffers and receive more grants than ever before.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the new amendment was snuck by the Department of Finance into a 336-page budget bill.
Under the original agreement, news companies which already received grants from Canadian Heritage’s Aid to Publishers program were disqualified from accessing the bailout.
However, the Liberals have removed the requirement claiming that allowing approved media to double-dip into government coffers fulfilled “policy objectives.”
The disqualification was repealed in the Budget Implementation Act or Bill C-30, which is currently being passed through the legislative process.
Approximately a dozen magazines and publishers have already collectively received millions in grants from the federal government, including a $1,500,000 funding grant for Canadian Living.
Other outlets that already received government coffers but are now eligible for additional funding include Maclean’s magazine which received $1,252,398 from the Aid to Publishers program.
Additionally Reader’s Digest received $1,143,104 in past payouts alongside a number of other publications like The Hockey News, Ontario Farmer, Chatelaine, Good Times, Toronto Life and others which also received substantial funding.
As reported by True North, the Trudeau government showered over 670 magazines and other periodicals with $85 million in taxpayer funding as part of its 2020-2021 periodical fund.
