Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I had held off on this motion, at the advice of Mr. Abbott, in that we were expecting a clear response from the minister. That was fully my sense of what would be coming out of the meeting with Vidéotron Ltée and Shaw.
However, given the position that's come out from Vidéotron Ltée and Shaw following the meeting with the minister, I am much more concerned about the situation in the CTF now. The message we are hearing from industry is: “It's dead. Done. Gone.” That's a direct quote.
The effects of that will be profound both for domestic television and for anything we look at on CBC. I am asking that we make it a priority to look at it immediately.
I think that within four sessions we can adequately address it. But given the crisis that we are in right now, I don't believe we can afford to wait on this. People are very concerned. I think it is up to us, as the heritage committee, to step into the breach.