Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to the witnesses.
Of course, we're continuing our very important study on the effect of the television industry in Canada on local communities and, of course, on local television. This is a very important issue in my hometown of Winnipeg. I was at an event on the weekend where 1,000 people came out in support of local TV. Clearly, Canadians value local television.
I know there's been a lot of discussion today about various elements of the job that you do and that the CRTC does. Without coming out in terms of my personal support for any particular element of the fee-for-carriage discussion, my interest with my questions is more so in your appearance here today in the sense that we didn't necessarily account for having you return to the study, because you were here once already.
My biggest interest is in regard to the fact that our committee actually voted to request that you come back to clarify some of the statements you made at a previous committee meeting. I know that Mr. Rodriguez made reference to some of it, but I just want to give you the opportunity to speak to it again, because essentially that was the purpose of you coming to our committee meeting today.
Looking at the reasoning for you to come here today, it was mostly in relation to the broadcasters making suggestions, and in fact, they did say that they were going to apply fee-for-carriage to local broadcasts, to local television. As you indicated in the previous meeting, of course, you said that there was a resounding “no” to that at one of your encounters with them. So I guess my question to you would be, do you believe that the broadcasters were misrepresenting you and misinforming the committee? Also, because we brought you back to clarify, should there be some sort of request to them for further clarification?