Canadian Heritage Committee on June 7th, 2018

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you very much. My speaking time is up.

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Would you please submit the study that was conducted by that expert to the committee?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Please don't hesitate to submit any written document you might wish to provide us. We now have to suspend.

Thanks to all of the witnesses for all of your testimony. It was very helpful.

We will be suspending briefly while we change over for the minister to appear.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

I would ask you all to take your place.

We have Minister Joly with us this morning.

Welcome to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, Ms. Joly. We are very pleased to have you here today.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It's a pleasure for me to appear before you today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Then I invite you to make your presentation.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, everyone.

Madam Chair and colleagues, thank you for inviting me, once again, to speak before you.

I am accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage, Mr. Graham Flack, the Associate Deputy Minister, Ms. Guylaine Roy, and the Chief Financial Officer of the department, Mr. Andrew Francis.

I want to congratulate you for the high quality of your work and to thank you for having launched, in April, a study on models of remuneration for artists and creators in the context of copyright law. Your advice will be important in the context of this parliamentary review, an essential tool in ensuring that our artists and creators are fairly remunerated for their work.

It's a pleasure to speak to you today about some planned expenditures for Canadian Heritage and its portfolio agencies in the 2018-19 main estimates. That, of course, is why I am here.

Prior to speaking about the estimates, I would like to take a moment to highlight an important announcement that the Minister of Innovation and I made earlier this week. On June 5, our government announced a process for reviewing the Broadcasting Act, the Telecommunications Act, and the Radiocommunication Act.

Our creative industries are a massive economic driver, and they employ hundreds of thousands of Canadians. That's why we have invested massively to support our sector, or, more precisely, $3.2 billion since forming government. That's the most in the G7.

Why are we doing this? Simply put, this legislation has not been reviewed since 1991. That's before the Internet was in our homes and before smart phones hit the market. Since then, new players have entered the market and our system has been disrupted.

My starting point for the modernization of these statutes and my message to all the people working in the Internet field are clear: there will be no free passes. At the same time, we are going to ensure that we do not increase costs for Canadians. We have established this panel of experts to define the outlines of the future act. I have full confidence in the ability of this expert panel, chaired by Ms. Janet Yale. I am sure it will come up with relevant recommendations in the context of this review.

With respect to the estimates, Canadian Heritage is asking for $1.3 billion, represented by around $1.1 billion in grants and contributions and $186.3 million in operations. $105 million could be added to this amount, as planned in the 2018 federal budget. We would like to invest this $105 million in particular toward official languages, Canadian content, local journalism, and multiculturalism.

The 2018-19 main estimates represent a net decrease of $133.9 million compared to last year. This decrease is partly due to the end of the Canada 150 initiative, which represents a drop of $117.54 million in funding.

Allow me a moment to say what an exciting year it was for Canadians coast to coast to coast, as we celebrated 150 years of Confederation. Whether it was on Parliament Hill for July 1, aboard the majestic Canada C3, or in communities large and small across the country, more than 31 million Canadians participated in this special year.

The decrease is also caused by the end of the $84.2 million in time-limited funding announced in budget 2016 and invested in the Canada cultural spaces fund.

That being said, our government is putting an even stronger emphasis on arts and culture than before, because they reflect the values and identities that make us Canadian.

Canada's strength lies in its diversity. And more than ever, our country must be able to make the plurality of its voices heard—at home, abroad and in the digital domain. That's why, last September, I unveiled our government's vision for a Creative Canada. It is a vision anchored in our diversity and focused on the talent of our creators.

As a result, we continue to invest heavily in our cultural and heritage institutions across the country through the Canada cultural spaces fund. This year, we are beginning to invest an additional $300 million over 10 years, as announced in our 2017 budget, which represents a new envelope of $29.9 million for 2018-19 in the main estimates.

We are also investing an additional $172 million into the Canada media fund to ensure that we have a sustainable protection sector for creators. Also, we are allocating $125 million over five years to Canada's first-ever creative export strategy so that our creators and creative industries can be promoted and supported internationally. This amount will be reflected in future main and supplementary estimates of Canadian Heritage.

No relationship is more important than our relationship with indigenous peoples. In addition, budget 2017 provided $89.9 million over three years to support indigenous languages and cultures, and increased support for the aboriginal languages initiative: $69 million for Canadian Heritage, $14.9 million for Library and Archives Canada, and $6 million for National Research Council Canada. An amount of $22.6 million is included in these main estimates.

We are also continuing our commitment to enact legislation on first nations, Inuit and Métis languages.

We are also dedicated to creating jobs for young people. Budget 2017 proposes $395.5 million in new funding over three years for the youth employment strategy, beginning in 2017-18. Of these funds, over three years $17 million will go to Canadian Heritage for initiatives that will increase new job opportunities for young people in the heritage sector. These summer jobs and long-term paid internships will give students and new graduates meaningful work experience in both English and French. An increase of $7 million is included in the main estimates of 2018-19.

With respect to grants and contributions—and in the wake of the "Me too" movement—our government has taken action against workplace harassment because everyone has a right to feel safe at work.

On this issue, artists have been at the forefront of social change by leading the charge to let people know that harassment of any kind is unacceptable. In fact, I wish to thank this committee for their important work on the issue of gender balance on the boards of arts organizations. Following our joint announcement with the Canada Council for the Arts, in order to secure our financial support, arts and culture organizations will now have to make a formal commitment to building a workplace that is free from all forms of harassment, abuse, and discrimination. It is a measure that I hold very close to my heart and one that gives hope to survivors.

I now come to the expenses of the numerous organizations in the Canadian Heritage portfolio.

The 2018-19 main estimates foresee $2.2 billion in expenses, representing a decrease of $131 million from the 2017-18 main estimates. This decrease is due to the completion of the Museum of Science and Technology's renovation and the National Arts Centre's modernization.

Our museums and other heritage institutions are places of inspiration for Canadians. They showcase our cultural landmarks, highlight our shared memory and attract visitors to our regions. That's why we are pleased to request $35 million over five years, starting this year, for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, in Winnipeg. This institution plays an important role for our democracy and our social cohesion, as it promotes respect for each other and encourages reflection and dialogue.

But there is more: we intend to support the construction and operation of the new shared premises for Library and Archives Canada and the Ottawa Public Library. We want to invest $73.3 million in this project over six years, starting in 2018-19, and $4 million per year thereafter.

Madam Chair and distinguished committee members, thank you for your attention. I am now ready to answer questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Thank you. We're now beginning our question-and-answer period.

Mr. Hébert, you may begin. You have the floor for seven minutes.

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, Minister. We are very honoured to have you with us this morning.

The 2018-19 main estimates provide for an increase in contributions under the museums assistance program of more than $16.7 million. You have an estimate of the number of museum institutions that, thanks to that funding, will now be able to benefit from the museums assistance program. What impact will that have on artistic and museum exports?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Thank you very much, colleague.

In our budget, we have planned more student internships under the Canada youth employment strategy. That's mainly what will help museum institutions across the country.

Furthermore, of course, we've made massive infrastructure investments, $30 million more per year in addition to an initial budget of $25 million. We now have $55 million a year to invest in our cultural infrastructure, including museum infrastructure.

In addition, we have massively reinvested in our national museums in terms of both infrastructure and deferred tax payments. As I said in my speech, the budget of the Canadian Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg has been increased, which will considerably help it in its operations, since it had been indebted for years. That debt has been amply repaid since we have reinvested $35 million in the museum.

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you.

Total projected expenditures of the Department of Canadian Heritage for 2018-2019 will decrease relative to the 2017-2018 and 2016-2017 fiscal years. However, some spending increases have been noted. Another $29.9 million will be added to the Canada cultural spaces fund for 2018-2019.

Why did you think it was good idea to add to the Canada cultural spaces fund, and what will be the impact of these new investments for Canadian institutions and Canadians?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Thank you, colleague.

There are a number of things here. As you know, our government has decided to invest massively in infrastructure because that will enable us to meet citizens' needs by providing them with access to better infrastructure and to create an economic stimulus that will have an impact on all sectors of our economy.

Our infrastructure investments include investments in cultural infrastructure. As I just mentioned, they will represent $30 million more per year in addition to a basic budget of $25 million, for a total of $55 million a year over 10 years.

With regard to cultural policy, which we announced last September, I have set aside a portion of the funding to support creative centres across the country. We are thinking, in particular, of the Société des arts technologiques, or SAT, in Quebec, and the Artscape Daniels Launchpad in Toronto, not to mention other centres in Vancouver.

Here are a few of the infrastructure projects we have funded in the past two years: the Inuit Art Centre in Winnipeg, Espace Go in Montreal, Place des arts du Grand Sudbury, Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, Théâtre Palace Arvida in my colleague's magnificent Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region, and Espace René-Lévesque in Gaspésie. These are examples of cultural infrastructure projects that we have funded out of our budget and new allocated funding.

There are definitely other ways to fund cultural infrastructure in Canada, including through federal-provincial agreements, budgets that existed and that we have spent, and the new infrastructure program that was developed by my colleague Amarjeet Sohi, the Minister for Infrastructure and Communities. As for infrastructure projects funded under federal-provincial agreements, I'm thinking in particular of the Musée d'art contemporain de Montreal and the Théâtre Le Diamant in Quebec City.

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

You mentioned indigenous languages. According to the 2018-19 main estimates, $22.5 million in new funding will be allocated to the aboriginal languages initiative to support the preservation, revitalization, and promotion of indigenous languages.

Are the provincial and territorial governments taking part in the funding of this initiative?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

There are different aspects to consider. Since some territories, such as Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, recognize certain indigenous languages as official languages, we included other investments in the last budget to support those governments. However, the purpose of the $89.9 million figure we have announced is mainly to support projects in the aboriginal communities themselves in order to revitalize and promote their languages.

As you know, I'm working very hard with first nations, Inuit and Métis chiefs so we can table an initial bill that will be designed in partnership with those three national aboriginal organizations. We hope the bill will be tabled in the fall so it can later be enacted by the House of Commons and the Senate.

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

You have one minute left.

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

All right.

You have also announced some new investments in the indigenous languages field. Is that a permanent or a temporary increase in the program?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

In fact, in the 2017 budget, not the 2018 budget, we announced funding over three years to support projects originating in the aboriginal communities. We knew that there would be a new aboriginal languages act and that it would help support 90 of those languages. By the way, all of them are endangered, as UNESCO has acknowledged, and the vitality of each of them is undermined. We are working on transitional funding. The $89 million figure is an example of that. We want to be able to pass a new act that will be a model and can support all the others.

As the basic principle of that act, we have already announced that indigenous languages will be recognized as associated with section 35 of the Canadian Constitution. In other words, indigenous languages will be recognized as a constitutional right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Very good. Now we will hear from Mr. Clarke.

Mr. Clarke, you have the floor for seven minutes.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, Minister. I'm pleased to see you this morning.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Thank you.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

We were unable to meet with you yesterday in the Standing Committee on Official Languages as a result of the many votes that were held.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Yes, that was too bad. I had a lot of answers for you.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Yes, but, as you can see, I've arranged to be here this morning.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Yes.