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The Canadian Foreign Ministry, Global Affairs Canada, on Monday (November 11, 2024) denied the blocking of Indian-diaspora media outlet Australia Today.

India on Thursday (November 7, 2024) said Canada blocked an Australian media outlet hours after it broadcast the press conference of External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong.

Australia Today has never been banned in Canada. The news site and video of media comments by both India’s Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Australia’s Foreign Minister Wong can be easily and freely viewed in Canada, the Canadian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

“In Canada, Meta, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, blocked the sharing of news content on their sites, irrespective of the outlet. This is due to a decision by Meta to block news on its social media platforms in Canada since 2023. This is in line with a broader business strategy on Meta’s part to de‑emphasize news on its platforms globally,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Explained | On India-Canada diplomatic relations

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal had said the Canadian action of blocking the social media handles and certain pages of Australia Today smacked of hypocrisy towards freedom of speech.