Evidence of meeting #28 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was book.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Cultural Affairs, Department of Canadian Heritage
Indeed.
I will no doubt have the opportunity to assist the minister in answering your questions during the committee's meetings on Bill C-32.
There are two viewpoints on the scope of that right. However, a recent decision by the Federal Court of Appeal—I believe it may be the Trial Division—precisely addresses that issue.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
5:10 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Cultural Affairs, Department of Canadian Heritage
It's the Supreme Court decision in the CCH affair. We can give you the reference—
5:10 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Cultural Affairs, Department of Canadian Heritage
—through—
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That will be done through our dear chairman, yes, of course.
Mr. Beaudoin, everyone agrees that the fact high-speed Internet is not available everywhere is an enormous problem in view of all the coming challenges.
We currently have a pipeline problem, a fundamental and very basic problem: we don't have high-speed Internet access in a number of regions.
The problem is that this isn't profitable for private companies. If you ask any company, Bell, Videotron or any other, to provide high-speed Internet at certain locations, they will say that, for what it will cost them and the number of subscribers, they're not interested.
So what can be done?
November 4th, 2010 / 5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
There is a program to address that need, the Broadband Canada program. There are already 220,000 households that will be served through that and there will be additional funding forthcoming through that. And that was the priority of the economic action plan.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
It's done by a competition process. There was a mapping to identify all the unserved communities. We then asked for tenders from the private sector who would then come back with their bids. The communities have been identified that will be served, so that's in the process of being rolled out right now.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
Yes, it's funded by government.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
Partially. It's a competitive process, so whichever company comes up with the best bid will win.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
We can provide those.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
Yes.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Merci, Monsieur Rodriguez.
Merci, Madam Miller.
We're going to finish here because we only have a minute before the bells ring.
I would like to point out to members of the committee that we have received supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year 2010-11. Sometime between now and the Christmas recess, the committee, if it so wishes, can review these estimates for Heritage Canada, which are for the amount of $94 million. If you wish to review these estimates, please let the chair know, and we will schedule a day for departmental officials and you, as committee members, to review these proposed estimates.
Thank you very much for your time.
Thank you to the witnesses for their appearance.
This meeting is adjourned.