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.
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
We don't have exactly a precise time, but if they see I'm doing too much of it, then they'll suggest I do something else.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
Do any of you--Maxime, Jordan--have any limits on how much TV you can watch?
Myriam.
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
We're pretty much like Patrick. We watch a lot of TV, but I wouldn't say too much. I don't know--maybe ask my parents. We watch a bit after school, at supper, and then a bit after, and then we go to bed.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
You said that most of you who have computers have them in your room. Do any of you have a television in your room? Put up your hands. Patrick and Maxime.
Does that mean then that you can watch television in your room and no one knows how much or what you are watching, or is there some kind of thing that your parents do to keep an eye on you?
Yes, Maxime.
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
For me, on my TV, I can't watch any shows. It's just for my PlayStation 2.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
I wanted to ask you a couple of questions. I know it sounds like a silly question, but it's an important one. Do you watch the news? Yes, good.
Go ahead.
4:55 p.m.
As an Individual
I do a bit because my dad watches it a lot, but when he's watching it sometimes I rarely watch it. It's hard to admit, but I kind of like it a bit sometimes, because I just like to know what's going on around the world.
4:55 p.m.
As an Individual
Me too. I like knowing what is going on, but I do not make a point of watching the television news at a certain time. If I am watching television and the news is on, I will watch it for a bit.
4:55 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
For those of you who watch the news--and I'm going to ask Maxime this first--do you find question period too violent?
What I want to know is, when you watch the news and you see violence in the news--there's a war somewhere, and you see people being killed, or you see things happening--and then you watch a movie that has violence in it, if it's a war movie, are you able to tell the difference between what goes on in the news and what goes on in the movie? Do you think they are the same? Do you think they are specifically different? Do you think one is fantasy and one is real?
Jordan.
4:55 p.m.
As an Individual
I like the news violence because it's, like, real and it's interesting.
4:55 p.m.
As an Individual
On the news it's more like war violence that I see. I see mostly wars like in Afghanistan or other places. If I watch movies and it's violence, it's probably mostly monster-killing--an old Narnia or something like that--but it doesn't seem the same; it's more ironic.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
You've changed your mind.
You know why we're asking you these questions. We're asking you these questions because it is suggested that there's too much violence on television, and that in fact there shouldn't be so much violence.
What I want to know is if you, from the youngest of you to the oldest of you, are capable of understanding the difference between violence in reality on the news and violence in a film. If so, do you think there is too much violence? If you think so, what do you think we should do about it? Why don't I ask everyone to give me a quick answer on it?
Would you comment, Victoria?
4:55 p.m.
As an Individual
I think there might be a little too much violence, but there's also stuff out there that's not violent, such as other movies and other shows that have nothing to do with violence. I think if you wanted to solve the problem of violence on TV, you would just put more of those warnings, like “viewer discretion is advised” warnings, and let people continue to make their own choices when they watch TV.