Evidence of meeting #52 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was omni.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Trinity—Spadina, ON
Having not used my full allotment of time, I would ask the committee's indulgence to have a second go-round. I didn't use the full time.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Mr. Vaughan is asking for unanimous consent to get some time.
There is no consent.
Mr. Sullivan, you have about three minutes.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Mike Sullivan NDP York South—Weston, ON
You stated several times that people have other options. In fact the Italian community doesn't have another option for local news in Italian. It isn't there. Nor does the Punjabi community.
I agreement with you that generally in Canada, in English and in French, consumers are moving away from conventional television to receive their news, not in big enough numbers to cause the kind of abandonment of news that is happening now but certainly not in these languages.
There is no other Italian facility for persons who don't have English. I agree that some of them have English, and they may go somewhere else. They're certainly talking about going somewhere else for their cable and cellphone providers.
The other comment you made was that you were going to provide some kind of current affairs access to news. Correct me if I'm wrong, Ms. Watson, but what you said was that the Italian community would be served by a lifestyle program starting in the fall.
That's really not going to help the Italian community at all.
5:30 p.m.
Vice President, Television and Operations, Rogers Media
I don't disagree with you. I'm not happy with the solution I have with respect to the Italian service we're providing.
5:30 p.m.
Vice President, Television and Operations, Rogers Media
We will be creating the current affairs show for them in 2016, in that language market. That's all I can afford, sir.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Mike Sullivan NDP York South—Weston, ON
You talked about it in terms of the election campaign, and how people would be able to use that to get longer-form access to current affairs. That's not going to happen in the Italian community, and you just confirmed it. Maybe in 2016 there will be a different government then.
5:30 p.m.
Vice President, Television and Operations, Rogers Media
It's all we can afford.
5:30 p.m.
President, Rogers Media
I can tell you, I would be surprised if every one of you who was working in the private sector would not have come to the same conclusion, having exhausted every possible opportunity that we did.
I understand the role that you play. I understand that you have to speak the way you have to your constituencies. At the same time, if you were looking at the actual business model and running it as a private business model, you would do exactly the same thing.
I have let people know that it's coming, and with all due respect, we are adhering to every facet of our conditions of licence. I think to suggest otherwise is completely unfair.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Trinity—Spadina, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, the issue raised by Minister Fantino is a significant one. A change to a promise of performance is properly done through a public hearing at the CRTC at the time of licence renewal.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Mr. Vaughan, I'm sorry, but this is not a point of order; it's a point of debate.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Trinity—Spadina, ON
Just let me finish. This is the point of order.
Insofar as there has not been a public hearing under the regulatory process, it would be entirely responsible to ask for this committee to reconvene and to call witnesses from the communities that have been affected.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Mr. Vaughan, I'm going to have to cut you off there. That's not a point of order.
On that note, the meeting is adjourned.