Ottawa discussing next steps after magazine spreading COVID misinformation received funding

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez says his department is discussing next steps after it gave funds to a magazine spreading vaccine misinformation.

As CBCNews reported last week,the Department of Canadian Heritage which helps to oversee the government's response to a rising tideof false informationonline confirmed it provided more than $17,000 to Common Ground magazine through a special program ofthe Canada Periodical Fundintended to help publications weather the pandemic.

The B.C.-based wellness magazine has been publishing unsubstantiated claims that COVID-19 vaccines could cause cancer in children and thativermectin a drug used to rid livestock of parasites that is sometimes prescribed to humans can reduce COVID-19 mortality.

Health Canada says there is no evidence to suggest ivermectin prevents or treats COVID-19 and warns that consuming it could lead to"potential serious health dangers."

"We are having discussions internally because there's no way that Canada Heritage will support any type of disinformation," Rodriguez said Wednesdaywhile announcingsupport fororganizations helping to counter disinformation.

The Canada Periodical Fund was set up to help publications "overcome market disadvantages and continue to provide Canadian readers with the content they choose to read," saysa government website.

The minister said the fund isn't on the chopping block.

"It helps our magazines and so many people working in that field," Rodriguez said.

The minister was in Toronto launching a call for proposals for $2.5 million in initiatives tohelp people identify misinformation and disinformation online.