Canada – What Rules? Media vs. Economy

I grew up in a rural part of Canada, on an amicable, picturesque island off the east coast called Newfoundland. I suppose most people think the majority of Canada is rural -which it is (apart from its few metropolitan cities) – but Newfoundland is exceptionally sparse. With an area of 111, 390 square kilometres (comparable to the size of England), the island is home to roughly half a million people. In 1610, Newfoundland became an English colony and joined Canada in 1949 after a very close referendum, becoming the Nation’s newest outcast – at least until 1999, when Nunavut joined. While there are similarities shared between the two (both having vast amounts of land with little population and a love for hockey), their culture and traditions are different. 

While Newfoundland is an exception to the rest of Canada, it still demonstrates the economy’s relationship with the country’s more rural, far out parts – such as the East Coast. Canada’s oil industry alone, which is central to Alberta, shows just how important the private sector is to its’ economy, holding position as the 5th largest oil producer in the world. The large profits made from this industry highlight the Nation’s reliance on capitalism and the free market in order to maintain a stable economy.

Growing up, I remember my childhood friends’ fathers started working in the oil and gas industry, like many other rural Newfoundlanders. They’d go to Alberta or ‘offshore’ for weeks at a time, bringing their profits home to our more poor, local economy. Newfoundland had traditionally been a fishing province, until the industry crashed in the 1990’s.

While this is less of a case for other provinces, the centralisation of the private sector still impacts other east coasters, Newfoundland included, in the representation of their voices. Much of the East Coast is liberal in contrast to the more conservative, oil rich areas. Under a liberal government for the first time since 2006, East Coasters have still been disappointed by the works of the lucrative, powerful oil industry. For example, under government promises for fighting climate change, new oil pipelines have still been given a go ahead, demonstrating a clash in ideals, and that money, usually, rules. 

So, this helps to sum up the power of capitalism in Canada’s economy and those who enforce it, as well the opposing voices who seek more government control over pertinent issues, such as climate change and welfare. But, how does this reflect in our media?

While the government does have an extent of control over the media through the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Canada’s media industry is dominated by four major media companies, Bell, Roger, Telus and Shaw, who together control 70% of Canada’s media.

As shown in the example of Canada, the media landscape is often dominated by oligopolies in the free market, leaving less room for smaller companies to flourish. This could mirror the organisation of Canada’s economy, given its dominating private industries. Its media works in the same way.

There was a reason for shedding light on these opposing relationships between rich areas central to the private industry and the smaller, more rural economies such as the East Coast. Canadian newspapers, such as the Globe and Mail, have completely stopped shipping to the East Coast. How can we explain this? Maybe through the countries economic relationships. Here, money and power are very clearly centralised, and the media knows who to target.

The markets of media don’t deliver democracy – but are subject to capitalism, reflecting the economy.