Evidence of meeting #23 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was violent.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

René Caron  Founding President, TROP-PEACE Association
Noémie Fiset-Tremblay  As an Individual
Myriam Bernard  As an Individual
Maxime Bernard  As an Individual
Jordan Ruby  As an Individual
Jacqueline Sékula  As an Individual
Patrick Sékula  As an Individual
Victoria Hurrell  As an Individual

5 p.m.

Bloc

Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Chair. I would like to go round the table once last time. I would like to know what your favourite television show is, and why.

You can start, Noémie.

5 p.m.

As an Individual

Noémie Fiset-Tremblay

I like Les Frères Scott, which is One Tree Hill in English. I do not know why I like it. It is about older kids and I just like that.

5 p.m.

As an Individual

Myriam Bernard

I don't really have a favourite show, but in general I mostly like comedy. I can give you the example of Hannah Montana or something like that. Those shows make me laugh, so I just watch them.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Maxime Bernard

My favourite shows are The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and The Simpsons, because they are comedies. I like them because they are funny.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Jordan Ruby

I don't really have a favourite show. I just watch whatever is on. I sometimes watch The Ultimate Fighter and stuff.

April 1st, 2008 / 5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Jacqueline Sékula

My favourite show would have to be The OC. It's funny but there's a whole lot of drama in it too. It's just a bunch of really rich people, so I get to look at all the nice cars and everything.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Patrick Sékula

For me, it changes a lot. At the moment, it is Trailer Park Boys. I think that it is good and it is funny. It is realistic too and you can watch it any time.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Victoria Hurrell

My favourite show on TV right now is Grey's Anatomy. It's been off because of the writers' strike or something, but I like it because it's drama and stuff. I also watch a couple of comedies on Monday night.

My favourite show ever is Friends, but it doesn't play regularly any more.

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

I have a question about that. Do you think that Grey's Anatomy is a violent show because you get to see operations?

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Victoria Hurrell

It can be a little graphic sometimes, with the intestines or whatever they're showing, but usually they don't actually show the surgeries or the bodies head-on. They just show you the people doing the surgeries. So it's not that violent or gory.

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Thank you very much for appearing.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger

Thank you very much.

Mr. Fast.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to each one of you for coming today and sharing with us how you feel about violence and violence on television. It would also be interesting to hear what your parents have to say, because some of them are in attendance. I'd love to hear their perspective on TV violence.

The reason you're here is because there is a law before us right now that we're considering, which would give government new powers to keep you from watching certain violent programs before 9 o'clock. There are some people who believe there is still too much violence in the time period before 9 o'clock.

My question to each one of you—and maybe you could answer just yes or no—is, do you feel that there are programs that should be removed from the viewing slot before 9 p.m., or are you comfortable already with the kinds of restrictions and the kinds of programs shown during that time period?

Perhaps we could start with Noémie.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Noémie Fiset-Tremblay

It is OK like it is because anyway, anyone can record a show even though it is not on at a time when you are allowed to watch. Even if the time when it is on changes, you can always record it. So you can watch it anyway. But if people do not like it because it is too violent, it can be replaced by shows that are better for their age, and that would be good.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Thank you.

Myriam.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Myriam Bernard

I can't think of any shows now, but I think some shows are too bad. So, yes.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Maxime Bernard

I don't really know, because I don't know if I have seen a violent show. I don't remember.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

All right.

Jordan.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Jordan Ruby

I don't really know what the question was.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

I just want to know, are there any shows before 9 o'clock that you think are too violent for you to watch?

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Jordan Ruby

I don't know any of them.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Jacqueline.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Jacqueline Sékula

In my opinion, it's okay as it is. Most of the shows that I would say should be played after 9 o'clock mostly are already played after 9 o'clock.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Patrick.

5:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Patrick Sékula

I'm not really sure. I don't watch TV before 9 o'clock, because it's kind of boring.