revenues have plunged, prompting an emergency $30-million advertising-buy by the federal government;

Whereas residents of 190 Canadian communities lost 250 established news outletsdue to closings or mergers between 2008 and 2018;

Whereas two thirds of Canadians agree or somewhat agree that because of the

Coronavirus/Covid-19 outbreak the federal government should treat widespread media bankruptcies and lay-offs as an emergency , according to a Nanos

Research pollof April 2020;

Whereas the federal government allocated nearly $600 million in aid for

Canadianmediaover five years in its 2019 budget, including a 25-per-cent tax credit for newsroom salaries; a 15-per-cent tax credit for digital media subscribers; and charitable tax status for non-profit news outlets;

Whereas Canada’s federal government acknowledged in its 2019 budget (p. 173) that

“A strong and independent news media is crucial to a well-functioning democracy.”;

Whereas at least seven municipal councils in Ontario have already passed resolutions similar to the one proposed below;