It's a question I've wondered about in the past - if the CRTC imposes new expenses on the Netflixes and the Disney+es of the world, what happens if those big guys decide to simply take their ball and go home, refusing to play by the new rules? And how far can the CRTC push these foreign entities before they reach the conclusion Canada isn't worth the extra expense of producing CanCon and withdraw their services altogether?

And now I see I'm not the only one curious about that scenario. Former CRTC Vice-Chair Peter Menzies is having the same fears, noting in an opinion column that up until now, the CRTC has been the boss everyone in Canadian broadcasting has had to listen to, regardless of whether they agreed or not. But this scenario is different, and he wonders if the solons in Hull will be ready if someone not beholden to them refuses to play by the new rules. 

"Throughout its history, the primary players in CRTC procedures have always been captives of “the system” – domestic companies that depend for their existence on a commission license or rely upon the regulator’s decisions for their sustenance. They may not like the rules the CRTC comes up with, but they have to live with them.

 Not so when it comes to global streamers that, as it turns out, are global."

I still think it's unlikely the American companies would give up the revenue that comes from Canadians, but it's a threat they could use if they don't like what's coming. We'll be learning the answers soon - three week-long hearings on the changes will be held starting November 20th.

Will U.S. streaming companies play ball with the CRTC?