Evidence of meeting #1 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
I want it to be clear: we vote on the minister coming and then we discuss the budget cuts.
Is it clear for you?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
We can talk about whatever you want. We're going to vote on the motion that I've presented; is that what I am to understand?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
No. I do not want you telling me afterwards that it needs a motion with 48 hours' notice. You can understand that I would be annoyed if you did.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Agreed. We sat on the Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics together, then we...
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Okay, let's get one thing clear here. We do have consensus to deal with the motion. We'll deal with the motion, and then after we deal with the motion we'll talk about the future business of this committee. That's where I was heading.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Okay.
The notice of motion by Dean Del Mastro, MP, February 2, 2009, is that the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage welcome the Honourable James Moore to speak for one hour to the committee members on February 9, to introduce himself to the committee as the new Minister of Canadian Heritage, to share with the committee the work he has undertaken since becoming the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and to discuss the future business of the committee.
(Motion agreed to)
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
There, we've got that piece of business done.
Mr. Rodriguez, then Ms. Lavallée, and then Mr. Angus.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, I have lost my voice. I am going to let Mrs. Lavallée speak. We have to talk about two important topics: the $45 million in budget cuts that have still not been explained to us, and copyright.
February 2nd, 2009 / 4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
The committee met for the last time on August 26 when we were doing some very important work on behalf of Quebec artists. You will see what I mean, Mr. Chair.
I am going to go right to my motion. It is not hard to find because it reflects the three last sentences of the August 26 minutes.
I move that the committee discuss the recent elimination of federal government funding programs for arts and culture, and that the committee hold a meeting on Wednesday, February 4 on the recent elimination of federal government funding programs for arts and culture, and that the members of the committee send the committee clerk a list of witnesses by a date to be decided, possibly next Friday.
As for copyright, this is dealt with in Bill C-61that the government tabled in the House of Commons last June 12. It is a government bill. We are all anxious to see this bill become law. It is a priority of the minister, it was in the Speech from the Throne, and we all appreciate it. The bill will most likely be studied by the Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, in whose area it lies. The government could also decide to establish a legislative committee.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I said that I would entertain future business. Have you not just proposed questions that would go directly to the minister next Monday when he is here?
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
No, Mr. Chair. You were here in August.You know that we are talking about the committee's action plan. I am proposing that we discuss the elimination of the programs and why they were cut. I would like us to hear witnesses who could explain to us why they needed those programs.
In culture, it often just takes a little help to make great things happen. The Trade Routes program, for example, provided $2 million so that artists could go on hundreds of tours around the world. The return was $25 million. That was the conclusion of a study done by 300 Canadian cultural organizations. So it is important for the Committee on Canadian Heritage to bring these people here and listen to them. After we listen, we may perhaps want to see the minister again and ask him questions.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
There are a couple of things.
Again, we are discussing ideas. I think we need to be looking at this. We're going to be here for four months, and we have a number of things to discuss. I certainly support hearing witnesses. I think it's important. It's business that's unfinished, and we need to finish the business.
I'd like to have a sense of who those witnesses would be so that we have a sense of how long. I don't think we need to spend months. I think maybe it would take three meetings. That's my initial sense.
I'd be wary of meeting about it on Wednesday, because we don't have any witnesses. I'd like to come prepared. I'd like to hear. I would like us to put to the clerk some of the people we think could speak to it, whether that would take two meetings, one meeting, or three meetings, and then we could deal with that and come up with recommendations or be satisfied. I think it would be a way to deal with that.
I would be really against putting time into a legislative study of a dead bill. The copyright legislation died when the election was called. We don't know what changes there will be, so I don't find it would be of much use for us as a committee to address legislation that's no more.
I think there are a number of elements we could be looking at in terms of studies. I'm certainly interested in looking at the monetizing possibilities that are out there and business models that are actually working. Those have nothing to do with legislation per se, but they tie into stuff we've been dealing with in the film study, with CBC, and how people are monetizing back catalogues. There are a lot of elements that keep coming up that we've never had a chance to look at. They're not top-of-mind issues, but if we could spend a number of months on them, in and out of our other issues, they'd be something I would certainly like to have on the agenda.
Mr. Chair, I know you're interested in museums. They're something we can certainly fit in. We don't have to spend every meeting on them, but we can decide on that, whether that would take three or four meetings.
Certainly, I think Madam Lavallée's issue is top of mind because it's unfinished business from the summer. So let's pick some witnesses, and let's talk about the witnesses together. Again, I think we can all agree who should be there and who's necessary, and then we can get the business dealt with.