Canada's publicly funded broadcaster, the CBC, has drawn criticism from viewers after its morning show ran a segment on the growing trend of celebrating so-called "rebirthdays" — an alternative personal date on which people mark a fresh start in their lives. The roughly three-minute discussion suggested such occasions could apply to a range of people, from cancer survivors marking the end of treatment to transgender people celebrating a new chapter, and it quickly prompted an online backlash. Critics accused the taxpayer-funded broadcaster of devoting airtime to identity politics rather than more pressing news.

During the segment, the presenters asked viewers whether they had ever wished their birthday fell on a different day, noting that some people simply dislike birthdays close to Christmas or on leap years while others attach deeper personal meaning to the idea. One host said that for those taking a "more personal, deeper approach", the notion of rebirth "really marks a new beginning", and cited surviving a serious illness as an example. The report, framed critically by the Daily Mail, characterises the discussion as an excuse to praise transgender people and reflects wider debate over the CBC's use of public funding.