This bill was last introduced in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2021.
Steven Guilbeault Liberal
In committee (Senate), as of June 29, 2021
(This bill did not become law.)
This is from the published bill.
This enactment amends the Broadcasting Act to, among other things,
(a) add online undertakings — undertakings for the transmission or retransmission of programs over the Internet — as a distinct class of broadcasting undertakings;
(b) update the broadcasting policy for Canada set out in section 3 of that Act by, among other things, providing that the Canadian broadcasting system should serve the needs and interests of all Canadians — including Canadians from racialized communities and Canadians of diverse ethnocultural backgrounds — and should provide opportunities for Indigenous persons, programming that reflects Indigenous cultures and that is in Indigenous languages, and programming that is accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities;
(c) specify that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the “Commission”) must regulate and supervise the Canadian broadcasting system in a manner that
(i) takes into account the different characteristics of Indigenous language broadcasting and the different conditions under which broadcasting undertakings that provide Indigenous language programming operate,
(ii) is fair and equitable as between broadcasting undertakings providing similar services,
(iii) facilitates the provision of programs that are accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities, and
(iv) takes into account the variety of broadcasting undertakings to which that Act applies and avoids imposing obligations on a class of broadcasting undertakings if doing so will not contribute in a material manner to the implementation of the broadcasting policy;
(d) amend the procedure relating to the issuance by the Governor in Council of policy directions to the Commission;
(e) replace the Commission’s power to impose conditions on a licence with a power to make orders imposing conditions on the carrying on of broadcasting undertakings;
(f) provide the Commission with the power to require that persons carrying on broadcasting undertakings make expenditures to support the Canadian broadcasting system;
(g) authorize the Commission to provide information to the Minister responsible for that Act, the Chief Statistician of Canada and the Commissioner of Competition, and set out in that Act a process by which a person who submits certain types of information to the Commission may designate the information as confidential;
(h) amend the procedure by which the Governor in Council may, under section 28 of that Act, set aside a decision of the Commission to issue, amend or renew a licence or refer such a decision back to the Commission for reconsideration and hearing;
(i) specify that a person shall not carry on a broadcasting undertaking, other than an online undertaking, unless they do so in accordance with a licence or they are exempt from the requirement to hold a licence;
(j) harmonize the punishments for offences under Part II of that Act and clarify that a due diligence defence applies to the existing offences set out in that Act; and
(k) allow for the imposition of administrative monetary penalties for violations of certain provisions of that Act or of the Accessible Canada Act.
The enactment also makes related and consequential amendments to other Acts.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Mr. Speaker, we would agree to apply the vote, and Conservative members will be supporting.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will vote against.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting nay.
Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Green Party agrees to apply the vote, and we will be voting no.
Marwan Tabbara Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply and will be voting no.
Yasmin Ratansi Independent Don Valley East, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply and I will be voting no.
Ramesh Sangha Independent Brampton Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply the vote, and I vote nay.
(The House divided on Motion No. 2, which was negatived on the following division:)
The Speaker Anthony Rota
I declare Motion No. 2 defeated. Therefore, I declare Motions Nos. 3, 9 and 11 also defeated.
The next question is on Motion No. 10.
The member for Vancouver Granville is rising on a point of order.
Jody Wilson-Raybould Independent Vancouver Granville, BC
Mr. Speaker, I had my hand up for the previous vote and I was not acknowledged by the Speaker.
The Speaker Anthony Rota
We will finish this and I will go back and see what we can do.
If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division, or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the chair.
The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded division.
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, I believe if you seek it, you will find consent to apply the previous vote to this vote, with Liberal members voting in favour.
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Mr. Speaker, we agree to apply the vote, and Conservative members will be voting yes.