Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 28th, 2013

[The Chair (Mr. Gordon Brown (Leeds—Grenville, CPC)), Conservative, Gord Brown]

Good morning everyone.

We're going to call meeting number 6 of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to order.

This morning we have the Honourable Shelly Glover, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, with us to discuss the supplementary estimates.

Minister, welcome to the committee. You have 10 minutes.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Thank you very much, Chair. I am absolutely thrilled to be here.

Good morning, committee members.

With me today of course are two individuals who will be helpful, being that I am the new Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

I'm pleased to be here to speak about 2013 supplementary estimates. Before I do, I'd like to take a few moments to give this committee some insight into my first several months as the new Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

It was a tremendous honour to be asked to serve in this role by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and since July I have been focused on reaching out to a wide range of stakeholders and arts organizations across the country. For example, during a tour of parts of Atlantic Canada, I met with the Atlantic Provinces Art Gallery Association and members of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. In Toronto I met with Stephen Waddell from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, and with many great artists and creators at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In Alberta I held a round table related to arts and culture, and had the pleasure of meeting with folks at the North Mount Pleasant Arts Centre, as well as several other groups. I toured cSPACE, where artists affected by the flooding were able to salvage, clean, and repair their visual works of art. It was a touching collaboration of the arts community in Calgary.

In Quebec, I met with a number of people from the art world, including Simon Brault, CEO of the National Theatre School of Canada and Vice-Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts.

I attended the 35th Gala de l'ADISQ, where I sat with Angèle Dubeau and her husband, Mario Labbé. Having an opportunity to talk to two renowned Quebec figures was truly a wonderful surprise and an honour.

I attended the 28th Gemini Awards. I was sitting close to the team of Unité 9, a television show I love.

I also had an opportunity to visit the facilities and meet the representatives of a number of organizations that are part of the Canadian Heritage portfolio. Here, I am thinking of Library and Archives Canada, CBC, the National Film Board and the National Arts Centre, to name only a few.

I participated in the FPT Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie, which was held back home, in Winnipeg.

I also attended the federal, provincial, and territorial meeting of ministers responsible for culture in Iqaluit. We discussed our mutual investments in Canada's creative industries and shared ideas about increasing overall appreciation of our culture.

Last month I had the pleasure of hosting my first movie night with Telefilm Canada, showing The Grand Seduction. For those of you who couldn't make it, I highly recommend this charming Quebec-Newfoundland co-production filled with top-notch Canadian talent like Gordon Pinsent and of course Mary Walsh.

Today, I am appearing before you for the first time as a minister, and I want to highlight the important work you do on behalf of Canada's arts and culture. I hope to meet with you regularly.

Thank you for your commitment and your consistent contribution to promoting, preserving and celebrating our country's arts, culture and heritage.

So far as minister I have witnessed many parts of the dynamic cultural sector that generates close to $50 billion to Canada's GDP every year, and 630,000 jobs. I've seen how the Government of Canada's support is helping sustain this sector with initiatives right across the country.

I bring a strong interest in arts and culture to my new job, and each day I learn and appreciate more about the amazing Canadians who work to keep our arts and culture alive. All Canadians should be very proud of the talent we produce right here at home.

I was also happy that the government mentioned certain cultural priorities in last October's Speech from the Throne, such as our intention to unbundle television channels in Canada.

We clearly put forward our intention to unbundle television channels in Canada. We believe Canadian families should be able to choose the combination of television channels they want. That's why we issued a request to the CRTC under section 15 of the Broadcasting Act to report to the government on television channel choice. We are requiring the CRTC to undertake a full examination of unbundling of television services, and to report back no later than April 30, 2014.

The throne speech also mentioned the Canadian Museum of History. As you know, the relevant bill was passed by the House of Commons and is currently before the Senate.

The Speech from the Throne also noted two important sporting events that will take place in Canada in 2015. I'm delighted that Canada will be hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup.

I am also looking forward to welcoming the thousands of athletes and spectators who will come to Canada for the Pan American and Parapan American Games in 2015.

Long after the excitement of the games is over, they will leave a legacy of world-class sports facilities to be used by current and future athletes.

Of course, another passionate sporting event is just around the corner. I am talking about the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. Millions of Canadians will encourage our athletes, and I am really looking forward to doing the same. The throne speech also stressed the importance of encouraging young Canadians to be more active. I personally consider this to be vital to the health of Canadians.

I was happy to be in Winnipeg to participate in the signing of a bilateral agreement on sports between the Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba. That agreement will help encourage young people, disabled individuals and aboriginals to participate in sports. Our government is signing similar agreements with all the provinces and territories. Those agreements will have a positive effect on communities across the country for many years.

The throne speech also noted a milestone we're all eagerly awaiting. That is, of course, the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation in 2017. Since 1867, we have grown as a country and Canadians have made their mark in all fields.

I am thinking of Louis Riel, leader of the Metis people in the Prairies and founder of my province. I am thinking of Frederick Banting, Canadian Nobel Prize winner.

Of course, who could forget Alice Munro, who made us all very proud this year when she received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

I also think of Mary Two-Axe Earley, who worked hard on behalf of aboriginal women who had lost their Indian status under the law.

Each and every one of us could come up with a list of our own examples. It's quite possible none of our lists would be the same. Our country has a diverse and remarkable heritage that is well worth celebrating.

Canada's 150th anniversary belongs to all Canadians. We will hold consultations to see how Canadians would like to mark that anniversary.

Through face-to-face meetings and social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, we'll reach out to Canadians from all walks of life to see how they would like to celebrate and commemorate our shared experiences, values, and pride. We want to work with Canadians to ensure that 2017 is a great success and a source of pride.

Now on to the estimates. Mr. Chair, the committee has asked me here to speak about supplementary estimates (B). Let me run through the most significant items.

We are reprofiling $1 million from 2012-13 to 2013-14 through the Canada cultural spaces program. That's for the completion of the Heritage Discovery Centre at Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site in Sault Ste. Marie.

As you'll see in the estimates documents, changes also involve several transfers to and from the departments. For example, $730,000 will go to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for research related to sport participation. At the same time, the department will receive $310,000 from Indian Affairs and Northern Development to promote National Aboriginal Day.

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development will provide $300,000 to help build the National Holocaust Monument here in the National Capital Region. On October 24, Minister Baird and I announced the six finalists in the national design competition for the future monument.

All totalled, estimates (B) this year will result in a net increase of $0.5 million to the Department of Canadian Heritage spending authority.

In closing, I'd like to thank the committee for inviting me here today and for your ongoing work on behalf of this sector. I look forward to working with this committee and with all stakeholders to strengthen the arts, culture, and heritage of our country.

With that said, I'm happy to take any questions you might have.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you very much, Minister.

We're now going to move to a round of questioning. It will be for seven minutes. We begin with Mr. Young.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

And thank you, Minister, for being here today.

I'd like to start with arts and culture, which is a tremendous economic driver. I'm very proud that our government has never cut funding for arts and culture.

Could you please tell this committee what our government has accomplished in supporting arts and culture and artists and creators in Canada, and about the momentum that's been created across Canada?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

What a wonderful question. Thank you.

I want to thank you, Mr. Young. I know how much work you've done, not only in your own riding on this very important subject of arts and culture. Also you've been a very good advisor over these few months that I've been a minister so I do want to thank you for your input. I know you have a vast amount of experience in this area.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

First and foremost, let me say that arts and culture in Canada really do contribute to how we feel about being Canadian. We are proud to be Canadian, because we have arts and culture that is very different from that of other countries in the world. It actually makes our country the absolute best country in the world.

We have a variety of programs to assist in celebrating arts and culture. I know that many of you are familiar with some of them. But let me remind the committee of some of the ones I am particularly proud of.

For example, we support festivals across the country. In fact, I'm sure many of you are familiar with the festivals in your own ridings. I look to Monsieur Nantel, who has the Marché de Noël & des Traditions de Longueuil, 2013, qui s'en vient. Festivals really do allow us, at the local level, to celebrate our local culture. They allow us to bring our local artists to the forefront and celebrate their talents.

We also, of course, have a number of other programs in the way of grants. We provide almost 9,000 grants and contributions through the Department of Canadian Heritage, and we get probably 15,000 requests every year.

The Canada Council for the Arts, as well, does a fantastic job as creators and as experts. They choose the artists who they sponsor and provide funding to. They, themselves, have been able to provide approximately 6,000 different grants through the $180 million that we provide them each and every year. I might add that this $180 million is the highest level of funding the Canada Council for the Arts has ever seen. So we're very proud that we have maintained that. Even through a very tough and fragile economic time, we are in fact the only G-7 country that was able to maintain direct funding, like the funding we provide through the Canada Council for the Arts, to artists.

The literary awards were also held yesterday. I'm particularly proud of the 14 recipients. The Canada book fund, actually, provided funding to 10 of the 14 literary award winners yesterday.

We are making a difference. We are able to contribute in a meaningful way to arts and culture so that we can celebrate this wonderful country. I hope to continue the work of Minister Moore, who did a very, very good job before I arrived. I'll need your help, so I appreciate that.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

We know from Alice Munro's award, and from many other Canadian authors, that Canadian authors are as good as or better than anybody else in the world, as are Canadian musicians. They sell records all over the world. I'm thinking of groups like Nickelback, and singers like Céline Dion and others.

For the record, could please talk about the economic impacts arts and culture have in Canada with regard to our cultural industries. How many jobs come from the arts? When somebody writes a book, it creates jobs through publishing and distributing. It's the same thing when somebody writes a song. It goes through the record business. You need promoters. People sell them in the stores. You need artists to design the covers. But there's a huge number of jobs created in the arts.

Could you please talk a bit about that?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

This is one of the messages I've really tried to share as I go from place to place, at all of these round tables and in each of these arts and culture locations. There are in fact 630,000 jobs that really are directly linked to the arts and culture sector here in Canada. It's a huge economic driver, a huge job creator. It also brings almost $50 billion into the Canadian economy.

The reason this is important for people to know is that there are people who don't believe that arts and culture are worthwhile. The Conservative government is here to tell them they're wrong. The Conservative government has a strong record of supporting the arts and culture sectors, and will continue to support them, because it is the right thing to do. It is about who we are. It is about our Canadian identity, and it is about job creation.

I hope all committee members will support us in these efforts to continue to promote the arts and culture sector. And I'm sure I'll learn about those who may not.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Am I out of time, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

You have a minute and 15.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

We know that we export a lot of art. For example, Cirque du Soleil sells tickets all over the world. It's a wildly successful arts organization. I mentioned Nickelback before; it is the largest selling Canadian band in the world. We tell the world who we are. They like it and they want to share in it.

I wonder if you could just comment on the value to the Canadian economy—we're talking about money today—when we export our art, our music, and our books.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you for mentioning Nickelback, of course. That's only one of many groups that the Canadian government has been helping. Might I remind you, when it comes to Nickelback, we help them with a very small amount of money, and they're hugely popular worldwide. We're so proud of them. And the same thing with Carly Rae Jepsen.

We invest about $2 billion annually into arts and culture and, as I said, we get back $50 billion into the economy. When our artists are out in other venues across the world, it brings economic return to Canada.

So as I said, we continue to invest in that way, and I'm very pleased to have your support in allowing us to do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Nantel, the floor is yours. You have seven minutes.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to begin by thanking the hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage for joining us today. You are right in saying that the work we do here is important. It is a privilege to sit on this committee. I also want to congratulate you on all the meetings you have held since the beginning of your mandate. That's a good message to send to people from the cultural world.

You answered the question of my colleague Mr. Young by saying that there was an economic side, but that identity and Canadian pride were also major considerations. This is something we cannot do without nowadays.

You said earlier that this committee's work is very important. No witness could understand better than you that this committee must discuss certain topics. Speaking of committee work, I would like to use the first minute of my floor time to give notice of three motions. You will find that it would be very appropriate for the committee to consider them.

The first notice of motion is the following:That the Committee invites the president of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to appear before February 7th, 2014 for a two hour televised session to present the Commission's approach to the future of Canadian television to the Committee, including measures taken to solicit Canadians' participation in the Let's Talk TV consultation.

The second notice of motion reads as follows:That the Committee undertakes a study before February 28th, 2014 on actions taken by the Canadian government to implement the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and that the Committee invites representatives from the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Department of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Development, experts and civil society organizations to appear in this context.

The third notice of motion is the following:That the Committee holds a two hour session before March 7th, 2014 to update us on preparations for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017. That it also invites representatives from the Society of Celebrations of the 375th anniversary of Montreal in 2017 to this session to present their work to the Committee.

I am making this recommendation because I have met with some people from Montreal, and I thought their approach to consultations with various sectors was inspiring. The imagery of the identity and figurative aspects was very relevant and inspiring.

Ms. Glover, you probably know that we have proposed motion M-445 on resale rights in visual arts. At a recent auction held by Waddington's Auction House in Toronto, the works of 18 Inuit artists were sold for a total of $84,700. Had there been any resale rights, the artists would have received $4,235 of that money. It is time to address that shortcoming by integrating resale rights for artistic works into the Copyright Act, as over 69 countries have done. Do you have any plans when it comes to this?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you.

You brought up some topics your committee may want to study. I want to point out that, as a minister, I am very busy. I can assure you of one thing—it is up to you to decide what you want to do within your committee. I appreciate the fact that you gave notice of motions, but I won't meddle in that.

Regarding your question on the motion moved in the House, Mr. Moore—who was the minister in charge at the time—talked about copyright. The legislation will be reviewed in five years, and what you just mentioned may be included in that review. We are taking due note of your suggestion for the review that will be held in five years.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

I invite you to learn about the auctions that have been held recently. One took place in Toronto, and another one will be held in Ottawa, next Wednesday, I think. You can see the reality of renowned artists who, at the end of their life, have an income that is not at all in line with their merit and the admiration Canadians have for them.

I would like to come back to your response to the letter we sent you regarding the future of Library and Archives Canada, which you mentioned in the beginning. I understand that your mandate has just begun, but your answer doesn't mention the consultation held with people involved in the archival community. They had clearly expressed their desires and criteria for the selection of the next Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada.

Are there any developments in terms of candidates and the selection criteria?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you for the question.

I would first like to point out that some Canadian artists—and they are numerous—receive money from funds set up by the Government of Canada, including the Canada Book Club. Without those funds, they could not have the income they currently have. They do some very good work, and we are proud of them. They are receiving compensation commensurate with their talent. Some of them are not as successful as others, but we will support them with the available funds.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

But about the Archives....

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

You first talked about artists who don't make enough money. Some of them make a lot of money. The situation should be considered as a whole.

As for the process of hiring a new head of Library and Archives Canada, we are being told that things are moving along and that a list of final candidates has been created. That is a well-established procedure that will continue. I hope to soon have the name of the person who has been selected.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you.

Mr. Dion, you have the floor for seven minutes.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Madam Minister, I did so in private, and it is also a pleasure to do so in public. I want to wish you the best of luck in the fulfilment of the very important responsibilities you now have. In your honour, I even put on a blue tie.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

I would also like to....

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

And I am wearing red.