Justin Trudeau blasts Twitter and opposition leader as public broadcaster is labeled ‘government-funded’
Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau had some strong words to say about Twitter today.
The social media giant has moved to label the country’s public broadcaster as 69 per cent “government-funded”.
Trudeau is accusing his main political rival of enlisting the help of tech executives in an attempt to get the network defunded.
Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre reached out to Elon Musk last week to label the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as “government-funded”.
When Musk agreed, the broadcaster said it will be “pausing” activities on the social network.
Soon after this, the account’s label was changed to “69 per cent Government-funded Media.”
Musk says this is because the “Canadian Broadcasting Corp says they’re “less than 70% government-funded”, so [he] corrected the label”.
But the CBC says its journalism is “impartial and independent” and “to suggest otherwise is untrue. That is why we are pausing activities on Twitter.”
Poilievre has praised the decision, tweeting “now people know that it is Trudeau propaganda, not news.”
Trudeau has also responded, and the PM isn’t happy.
“Attacking this Canadian institution, attacking the culture and local content that is so important to so many Canadians, really indicates the values and the approach that Mr Poilievre is putting forward,” Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
“In order to attack this institution that is important for many, many Canadians, he runs to American billionaires, the tech giants that they continue to defend.” #trending #featured
