Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 18th, 2006

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

In our continuing preparation for copyright legislation--whenever we get it--I'm suggesting that this committee might want to hear from the Copyright Board. That is one of the institutions we've never met with, as far as I know, and they certainly have a role to play in terms of applying the copyright legislation. One of the groups we might want to hear, before there is copyright legislation, would be the Copyright Board, in order to know exactly what they do, what challenges they face, and what perhaps they may wish us to address. If we want to include that into a subsequent schedule, it might be useful.

It's a suggestion, Mr. Chairman, that I don't think needs to be a formal motion. It's fairly innocuous.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Thank you.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Chair, I don't have a copy of the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

It's not a motion, it's just a suggestion.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Well, he talked about a notice of motion having been served.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

After the last meeting it was suggested that it might be a notice of motion. And I think that probably.... I know we're looking for witnesses and for various things. Anyone who feels that certain groups or organizations should be witnesses before us, on any issue, please make that known to the clerk and to me. We'll try to entertain that. I think you did give me a bit of latitude to make sure we have some of the right people at some of our future meetings, and I will do that.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Fair enough.

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

Mr. Chairman, you referred to “latitude”.

We had a discussion at the last committee meeting where it was agreed--it was a consensus around the table--that if we are going to have witnesses on the court challenges program, this determination will be made by the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

That's right.

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

Okay. And if we have any suggestions, we're expected to bring them to the clerk by close of business Friday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Correct.

Yes, Mr. Angus.

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

As far as the follow-up in terms of our drawing up....

Excuse me, I have the floor.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Excuse me, just for a second.

Yes, Mr. Angus.

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

I want to speak to that. There are two issues here.

Number one, I'm amenable to having the Copyright Board come, because it's a technical board that will aid us. I do believe, however, in terms of other witnesses on copyright that we have to wait until the legislation, because many will come then.

Also, I certainly do not like my colleague's change of rules here, where we are looking at who's coming and who's not, and all of us agreeing. It came out of that one motion. It was fairly controversial, and that agreement was made. In future, if legislation is brought forward, we have to have the freedom to bring forward a long list of however many witnesses each of us sees is appropriate. I just want that on the record, that we'll maintain standard practice here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Correct.

The meeting is adjourned.