Bell Media in the political crosshairs as heritage minister calls job cuts 'extremely disappointing'

Bell’s decision to lay off thousands of its employees — including hundreds of journalists — has drawn the ire of the federal heritage minister, who said Thursday the telecom giant has broken a long-held promise to deliver quality local news.

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill after Bell said it would slash 4,800 jobs, Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said past governments allowed the company to consolidate media and buy up local TV and radio assets in exchange for a commitment to maintain these services.

“In the past decade, when acquisitions were allowed by these big companies, it came with a promise,” St-Onge