Evidence of meeting #36 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was programming.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
First, I would say that we are governed by certain bodies and certain bodies have control over these units. Let's take the commission, for example. A natural way to go would be for us to complain to the commission, as we did in--Ken, was it October?
Senior Vice-President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, Shaw Communications Inc.
Yes.
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
October. We said we are getting really close to the end, we don't think it's performing right, and we should do that. Whether we could go to a big committee like this or to every parliamentarian in Canada, I don't think so.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Good morning gentlemen.
The way I see this situation is that you resorted to radical means so that you would be heard and understood. For my benefit, since I am a newcomer on this committee and because I want to understand where you are coming from, would it be possible to provide us with the demands for the arguments that you are raising as they relate to both the CRTC and the Canadian Television Fund so that the committee will be in a better position to make the right decisions? That is my first question.
Secondly, were you not concerned that, by withholding the amounts that you owe, you may be jeopardizing the 16,000 jobs that are generated by the Canadian Television Fund?
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
In answer to the first question, we still stand by our principles of fairness, accountability, and performance. As a corporate member of corporate Canada, and running—I don't know how big our company is; it's in the top 100 anyway. We're accountable, and all we're asking them is to be accountable.
We're not asking to mandate how they run the production fund; we're not asking anything like that. But we can tell from the system that it is definitely flawed. I think it's a system that the existing government inherited, and it's something we would like to have something done with. We find it to be a large waste of money. It was just an employment vehicle, and if half the money goes, or 37% goes, to CBC, shouldn't the government fund that directly, not indirectly?
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Thank you, Mr. Shaw and Mr. Stein, for coming.
I have cable. My daughters got it after I was elected. I personally couldn't see the need, but I sometimes sit and watch cable with them. You talk about the lack of quality programming that's come out of Canada. Well, when I turn on the TV, I don't like watching Fear Factor; I don't like Cops; I don't like Springer. I feel like Bruce Springsteen: there are 57 channels and nothing on.
If I decided to withhold my payments to you because basically I think there's a lot of crappy television on and said maybe I'll pay it at the end of the year, would you sit down and meet with me? Would you listen to my concerns, or would you send the collection agency and just cut me off? I don't see why you expect anything different from the Government of Canada.
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
Let me ask, does any of your family watch any of those shows?
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
You have many options. You can take a basic cable option, which will afford you your basic channels across the board. You don't have to take those channels: we have the new digital technology; we're going to be able to delete, and you can “parental” those channels, if you want to do that.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
My question is, if I say to you I'm holding my payments for a year because I expect better service and better quality programming, are you going to continue to provide me service, or are you going to cut me off?
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
I think probably down the road you'd get cut off.
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
These are channels that you don't watch, right?
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I'm saying if I decide to hold my payment for a year, you're going to cut me off.
Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.
Do you want all Canadian channels, and then it won't be an issue?
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
—I would like it to improve. My question is, if I decide to withhold my payments until the end of the year, are you going to cut me off?
Senior Vice-President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, Shaw Communications Inc.
The first thing that would happen is, if you indicated that you're concerned with the programming, we would want to have one of our service reps have a discussion with you first. That would be the first step.
Senior Vice-President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, Shaw Communications Inc.
Then we would want to make sure we understood what your concerns were. That would be a first.
