Canadian Heritage Committee on June 1st, 2006

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Well, it's not Friday, but it is frosty, because I just agreed with Mr. Bélanger. That's with respect to the fact that this is before the CRTC. As a matter of fact, my understanding is, further, that they've actually extended the time for commentary. So they're obviously seriously working on this.

I'm really wondering what the value is of having CBC/Radio-Canada come before the committee at this time. What are we going to discover in two hours? I know everybody jumps on me because I'm always talking about the amount of time it takes for a minister or a ministry, or whatever, to come up to speed, to respond to a report, or to appear before a committee, but it's a fact of life. What are we going to be discovering with the CBC? They're going to have to be very circumspect, particularly going into the mandate review.

I remind the committee that we have museums, the archives, the library, the art gallery....

The art gallery, for example--something that I discovered as a result of the cooperation of the department, for which I was very grateful--is looking at the fact that they may be needing over $100 million in terms of their requirements. Certainly the Museum of Science and Technology is on the front page of the Ottawa Citizen today. The archives, I've indicated, are very interesting. There are any number of things we could do on a one-off basis where we would end up adding to our collective wisdom about this humongous department called Heritage Canada.

So perhaps reports to the Auditor General might be of value, but continuing to focus on the CBC when I don't know what we would accomplish with two hours with them, when there are all these other things...I don't think there's any real value.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Before we take the next two questions, there's one thing I want to say. We have had discussions on some of those issues you just mentioned, the museums and so on, and I have instructed the clerk to send out a list of things that we have on the agenda or that we think we can talk about in the fall when we start deliberations.

Hopefully before we have our last meeting before summer break we can pick out two or three things that we can do, that our staff can work on, can research, can get ready, so that we can be more productive in the fall than maybe we have been here so far this year. So those things will be coming out. We can talk about that.

Mr. Kotto.

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It would probably be wise for us to send them a list, by party, of proposals by thematic priority. That could help us advance more quickly.

On the other hand, I'd like to go back to what Mr. Bélanger was saying. I too am frustrated with the short time the minister spent here this afternoon. I'd like to see her again as soon as possible because an enormous number of issues remain outstanding. Personally, I was frustrated by most of the answers she gave us.

As regards calling representatives of CBC/Radio-Canada, Mr. Angus spoke about that earlier. We invited them about the lockout; you were present, Mr. Chairman. We're entitled to ask questions in our role as sounding box of the population. This is a public entity. These are public funds that are invested and, when those public funds are no longer being used to serve the mandates they are supposed to serve, we're entitled to ask ourselves some questions, because the voters in our ridings ask us questions. Consequently, if it doesn't trouble Mr. Abbott, I'd be willing to invite them, apart from their activities in Banff.

The minister would be welcome as soon as possible before them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

It seems to me that every time we start to move forward on trying to address issues, it's a question of what could we possibly learn by looking at these issues. I mean, we had the suggestion of spending the first session visiting all of the museums across Ottawa.

When we came to the 38th Parliament, the CBC was an issue we had to deal with. We asked for a plan on regional broadcast and drama. Midway through the session we had Mr. Rabinovitch come. We had CBC again. We had the issue of a lockout. Here we are at the beginning of another session, and CBC is one of the major issues that we deal with.

So what could we possibly learn? Well, I would invite them to show up for two hours and we might find something. I think to say that there's nothing to be learned, so why do it.... That's why we waste so much time here at committee, because it happens every time we try to move forward.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I'm just going to go over what we have here.

Are people satisfied then that on Tuesday, June 6, we do a committee review on Canada's travelling exhibitions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

On Thursday, June 8, we meet on GATS negotiations in camera. Is that satisfactory?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

On Tuesday, June 13, we have reports of the Auditor General of Canada.

On Thursday, June 15, I'm going to make the suggestion that we have CBC/Radio Canada.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Chairman, you may want to check with them, because the Banff World Television Festival goes on until, I believe, June 14.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Let's try to get Madame Verner here on Thursday, June 15, and we'll move the CBC then to Tuesday, June 20.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

On Thursday, June 22, Madame Oda again as a send-off for the summer?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Maybe we can get her back.

Thank you for your time and your cooperation.

This meeting is adjourned.