Steven Guilbeault, Canada's heritage minister. He is pictured on July 30, 2019 as Liberal candidates gathered in Ottawa for a two-day workshop on campaign tactics. (Bruce Campion-Smith/Toronto Star)

Canada’s new heritage minister plans to increase local news coverage through CBC News.

Steven Guilbeault was shuffled into the Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism file last month after being elected in the riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie for the first time in October. He said he plans to work with the CBC, per his mandate letter, to see if they can produce more regional content through hiring more people, opening more offices, or partner with existing media.

“There could be some form of shared agreement where the content is being used and promoted on CBC’s platforms for those smaller news outlets,” he said.

The minister received a mandate to “Strengthen the regional mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada to broadcast more local news and require CBC/Radio-Canada to open up its digital platform.”

Guilbeault said he’s yet to have a conversation with CBC, but that he would ensure they receive adequate funding for any new mandates.

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He also said he’s heard concerns that some outlets want to maintain independence from CBC as the state-funded broadcaster, but he said it’s “contradictory” to take this stance while also asking the government for more money. However, he said any funding for the journalism sector needs to be done in a careful way to maintain independence from the government.

“How many times in our history have we seen the state use media for political purposes, and clearly that’s not what we want to do — quite the opposite,” he said.

Guilbeault said the CBC model works, noting that government-funded broadcasters exist in a number of countries, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the United Kingdom, where private sector companies also exist. He said some adjustments could be made but private journalism companies in Canada are “thriving” in an environment where a publicly-funded outlet also exists.

“The mandates are different,” he said, adding the CBC does not impede on the private sectors model in Canada.

The minister’s also been charged with creating new regulations for social media platforms, including that they remove an illegal content, including hate speech, within 24 hours or face penalties. The mandate letter said illegal content should include “online harms such as radicalization, incitement to violence, exploitation of children, or creation or distribution of terrorist propaganda.”

Guilbeault said he would have conversations with relevant stakeholders on whether to include regulations on fake news. He said he would be working with Justice Minister David Lametti to clearly define “illegal content.”