Mr. Wade Oosterman reports

MEDIA STATEMENT - ADVERTISING PAUSE ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Wade Oosterman, BCE Inc.'s Bell Media president, today released the following statement:

"As Meta continues with its plan to block Canadian news content from its digital platforms, we are immediately pausing our advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

"Like many Canadians, we are concerned about the consequences Meta's decision to block links from Canadian news organizations will have on Canadians, and all those who reside or work here, all of whom should be able to rely on independent and trusted news from Canadian sources.

"The Online News Act will provide the necessary framework for fair negotiations for access to valuable news content with a Canadian perspective, which is critical for our democracy.

"Canadians can stay informed and continue to get and share the information and breaking news stories that will impact them, from their local community, and from around the world, by downloading Bell Media's news apps and by continuing to visit our news websites, such as CTVNews.ca, CP24.com and noovo.info."