News Summary

CBC/Radio-Canada is embroiled in a legal battle to prevent the disclosure of the number of paid subscribers to its Gem streaming service. The federal information commissioner had ordered CBC to release these figures following a request under access-to-information laws. CBC contends that revealing the subscriber numbers would disclose sensitive commercial information and potentially harm its competitive position. However, Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard rejected this argument, stating that CBC failed to demonstrate a reasonable expectation of harm. Despite CBC’s assertion that paid subscribers are not the mainstay of Gem’s service, the public broadcaster is using taxpayer dollars to defend its stance. The legal proceedings highlight concerns about transparency for an organization funded by taxpayers.