Canadian Heritage Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2009

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just to carry on with the point made by Mr. Angus, obviously I have no problem with the motion that Madam Lavallée would like to bring forward in that regard. I'd suggest that she could bring it with everyone's knowledge, frankly, that it's coming. You could bring that forward on Monday because that is the next scheduled meeting of the committee, and then assuming it would pass--call me clairvoyant--we could undertake to begin that next Wednesday or at some future date immediately after.

I do have a number of things I would like to talk about. Mr. Angus has mentioned museums. I'd love to see the committee undertake a study on museums, with a goal towards making specific recommendations for the adoption of a new museums strategy in Canada.

In 1994, for example, the federal government under Prime Minister Chrétien commissioned a study on the national historic sites of Canada on the 75th anniversary of the national historic sites. We're coming up to the 90th anniversary, so the 15th anniversary of that report being commissioned. I'd like us to take a look at that to see how we're doing at following the specific recommendations on that. Our national heritage sites are incredibly important to the heritage of Canada. I think we're perhaps missing the boat on the opportunity that might be there to promote a greater Canadian identity.

Lastly, I'd like to see the committee undertake a study on making specific recommendations for a heritage hunting and fishing act. I believe it is critically important to our aboriginal people and also to rural Canadians that we take a look at hunting and fishing, and take a look at what should be established on the books with respect to hunting and fishing, in view of Canada's history.

Those are some ideas I have. We can certainly entertain others that we might undertake studies on. I think we'll find, if the committee wants to add value to Parliament, there are a number of opportunities we can undertake on a number of fronts to do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Ms. Dhalla.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Some of the ideas that have been mentioned are excellent. I understand there's also renewal coming up for some of the private broadcasters this year and in the early part of next year. It may be beneficial for the committee to have some nationwide consultations to see what types of changes or suggestions people have. There's more of a time sensitivity to that issue than to some of the other ones that have been mentioned.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Sure, absolutely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Mr. Angus.

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

Thank you.

Just so that we stay on a coherent path, can I suggest to the people who are bringing suggestions forward that they maybe bring forward a one-pager or less, so that we have a sense of where people are going? That would allow us, I think, over the next few meetings.... I don't t think we have to demand by Wednesday or Monday, but I think we have to look over the next two weeks that we're going to roughly set up a calendar, leaving enough spaces, as the chair always does, for other issues that come up.

The main issue right now is moving forward with Madame Lavallée's concern, because this is from the summer and this is outstanding business. Can we agree to look at witnesses, come back, have a sense of how many witnesses are realistic? Then we'd actually have a sense of whether it could be two meetings, three meetings, or five meetings. Then we could agree to move forward at that level.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay. I will go to Ms. Dhalla.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

I think that's an excellent idea, to put forward the names of witnesses, so that we can determine how many meetings it would take. In the interim, as we're going through that process, if every party submitted perhaps three priority areas they wanted the committee to study, we could pass that around and then all have a vote to get a consensus as to what the areas should be and the order of precedence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay, and we'll go forward that way for the next meeting.

With that, I think I'm going to use the gavel and adjourn the meeting.