Canadian Heritage Committee on Feb. 14th, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

We'll call the meeting to order.

Just before we start our committee business, there's one other thing. I think everyone has been sent suggested titles for the report, if we do the report. I'd ask that you just take a look at them over the break. They're only suggestions. If people have others or you want to jiggle them around a little or something, we can do that. Think about that over the time too, because that's something we'll be looking at on Tuesday.

We have a notice of motion to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage from the Honourable Hedy Fry, MP, February 7, 2008:

That the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage recommend that the government bill entitled “An Act to amend the Copyright Act” for which notice was given on December 7th, 2007, once introduced and read a first time, be referred to a special joint committee made up of members of the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage and members of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology before second reading.

Would you like to speak to your motion, Ms. Fry?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to speak to this motion.

I think we have heard repeatedly on this committee that one of the greatest challenges to copyright is the advent of digital media, and that this in fact seems totally insurmountable and uncontrollable because people are downloading intellectual property of creators and artists on iPods and everything they can. That has left us with a huge copyright vacuum.

I think the way Industry Canada may look at this would be very different from the way Heritage Canada would look at this. I believe the things that concern us at Heritage Canada and this committee here are the issues of pure intellectual property. When someone uses their intellectual property to invent a new piece of technology or widget, patent laws and all of those other things can come into place, because you can see the thing, hold it, feel it, touch it—like the BlackBerry, for instance. When you write a play or a song and someone picks it up on an iPod or on whatever and there's piracy going on and all of those things, that is really harming the creator, the artist. Therefore, I think we need to be at that table. We need to inject this perspective into any discussion on any copyright legislation.

It's most important, especially since we know that the CRTC has given an indication that they don't intend to deal with anything to do with the Broadcasting Act or copyright for the next 10 years. We are already the only one of the industrialized nations that doesn't have a copyright act that deals with these issues.

I'm hoping, and the reason I put in the words “made up of members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage” is that I feel those of us who are on this committee have heard presentations—we may not be experts—and we understand this issue better than other members or members of any other committee.

I would like to see this accepted. I think it's very important.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Mr. Siksay, then Mr. Fast.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

I think it's a very helpful suggestion. The only thing I would ask is that it maybe say “members or associate members” of the committee, just so that it expands the pool a bit in that case. I do think it's very helpful to suggest that this be a joint committee that looks at the legislation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Thank you.

Mr. Fast.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Oh, nothing?

Well, the thing to do is take a vote.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

I'd like to say I accept the friendly amendment of “members or associate members”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay, are there any further friendly amendments?

If that's the case, then we'll vote on the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

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

Mr. Chairman, will you be reporting on that motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I'll have to report on that motion. The motion is through.

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

Did you want a motion to that effect?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I'll take a motion to that effect.

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

I move that this be reported to the House.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

It will be reported to the House.

Mr. Malo.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Chairman, before we move on to the next motion, I would like to discuss something with committee members. Today, all of us received some documents advising us that a Canadian citizen who works for the CBC has been suspended, all because he submitted some questions to this committee. My colleague Ms. Mourani decided to take him up on his suggestions and he was subsequently suspended for his actions.

According to the documents we received, you were the one, Mr. Chairman, who provided a copy of this person's letter to the CBC. In my opinion, by doing so, you sent a message to public servants that they are better off not getting in touch with their elected officials to let them know about situations they consider worrisome.

Mr. Chairman, can you tell us why you forwarded this letter to the CBC?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Just one second, we have a point of order.

Mr. Fast.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I have no idea what he's talking about. I haven't received any documents that he is alleging have been received by me. If Mr. Malo could--

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Mr. Bélanger, have you folks received any...?

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

I have no idea what we are talking about. According to my assistant, no such document was sent to my office. That's why I'm completely in the dark here.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

I received an e-mail from Mr. Alex Levasseur addressed to Jim Abbott, Bill Siksay, Andy Scott, Gary Schellenberger, Mauril Bélanger, Maria Mourani, Gord Brown, Hedy Fry, Francis Scarpallegia, Dave Batters, Ed Fast and Luc Malo.

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

When is the e-mail dated?

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

It's dated February 14 at 10:24 a.m.

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

I haven't seen it, Mr. Malo.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

We'll wait until the next meeting to entertain your message.