Evidence of meeting #22 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was thursday.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Well, Mr. Del Mastro said that the witnesses are available this Thursday.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
We could do clause-by-clause on Tuesday, if you want. It's not going to take very long to do clause-by-clause on a bill. But we could have Mr. Norlock and the witnesses here Thursday, which won't require any votes.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Larry Bagnell, who comes from the north, would very much like to bring a few amendments, but it's not possible for him on the Thursday; he's going back. Could it take place on a Tuesday, or could we do two days so that he has the option of coming?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Well, it's up to you guys to tell me what to do.
Monsieur Pomerleau.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Roger Pomerleau Bloc Drummond, QC
How would you feel if we proceeded in the reverse order, that is to say, if we had a briefing on the status of the study this Thursday, and undertake our study of Bill C-465 when we come back from our break?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
That's an option.
Let me confer with the analyst.
Are you prepared to brief us on Thursday about the digital media study?
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
—un rapport d'étape.
So we could discuss this and decide on this Thursday how much more time we want to devote to the digital media study. Then on Tuesday, when we get back, we could spend one meeting on Bill C-465 and then we're done.
Is that okay?
Mr. Angus.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I don't want to be a stick in the spokes of the wheel, but I'm concerned, because we have the two motions. Again, I don't think it's fair to do the one motion, because it is setting a course for our direction without the other motion being heard. I think we have to do it on Thursday so that it's out of the way. And I have no idea how long it will take to debate those, because I don't know whether they're going to be controversial or not.
I don't want us to try to quickly get through the briefing. We, especially our new members, really need to be brought right up to speed on the digital study, because it is a major undertaking that we're doing.
I would suggest that we do the motions and get them out of the way on Thursday, and if there's time for other business then, that's fine. Then on the Tuesday I support our going back to the private member's bill. Then, on that Thursday, we'll have been briefed and could have had even internal discussions by then. I think we need enough time to really assess whether we're going to put a lot more effort into this or not.
I'm worried that if we debate the motions this Thursday and doing so takes an hour and more, and then we're suddenly trying to figure out the future of the digital media study, we're not going to give it the kind of reflection that it needs.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay. Well, nobody's moved any motion yet. We've been given notice of motions. So there are no motions on the floor yet. l think the consensus from Madame Lavallée's colleagues is that we not move her motion until she's here.
I leave it to Mr. Rodriguez to decide what he wants to do with his motion.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
We could do it right away, Charlie, in five minutes. It's not very complicated and there's nothing special in there, nothing threatening.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay. Is it your intention or your wish, if this motion is adopted on the CBC, to begin that study after?
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I would say within.... Can I explain it just very quickly?
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Exactly.
So the way it's drafted is a bit weird, but it's within the digital media study to have CBC here and talk to us about what's the reality, especially if you consider the fact that CTV has been bought by Bell and it happened the same with Global, this and that. Within that new context, digital media and new platforms and this and that, what is CBC's reality, la réalité de Radio-Canada aussi?
So that's pretty much why it's there.
