Canadian Heritage Committee on Dec. 4th, 2018

[Pablo Rodriguez]

Thank you for your question, Mr. Breton.

Once again, you're entirely right to say the strategy is very important. I gave a talk on it in Vancouver. It's really a vibrant city that relies to a large degree on the cultural sector, as do many other major cities and regions in all the Canadian provinces.

This strategy will help us move off the beaten path and away from the Canadian market. We have an extraordinary market, which is very much interested in culture and wants to consume culture, but we need to go beyond Canada's traditional markets. This program supports our artists, creators and presenters in their efforts, for example, to encourage artists and creators from elsewhere to come and appear here in Canada. It provides funding.

It also promotes commercial missions. Last year, Minister Joly led a very successful mission to China. I think the contracts we signed directly in the cultural industry are worth approximately $125 million. We're preparing for a new mission in February in which several officials will travel to Argentina, Mexico and Colombia.

This is all extremely important. This strategy helps our artists, our creators and our cultural stakeholders go beyond our borders.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you.

You talked about indigenous languages. We have 90 of them in Canada. We know the situation isn't easy for indigenous languages. It's even said that three quarters of those languages are currently endangered. That's not good news.

In the circumstances, you've announced that a bill will soon be introduced to protect those languages. Can you tell us a little more about how that process will go?

[Pablo Rodriguez]

I'll be very pleased to tell you about it, Mr. Breton.

This is actually an absolute priority for me, and I'd even say it's one for the Prime Minister, for the government and probably for all members here. Language is our identity. It's the way we tell our stories; it's the way we transmit our stories, our experience and our reality to our children and grandchildren. However, as you noted, three quarters of indigenous languages are endangered. Many have already disappeared. We must stop this bleeding, and we have to start somewhere.

We wanted to take action in cooperation with the various groups. So we sat down together over a very long period of time. We didn't start this work recently; the process began a long time ago. We sat down with the first nations, Inuit and Métis to develop together what would become the indigenous languages bill. We agreed on a series of principles that would form the core of that act. We're working on the bill, and I hope to introduce it very soon because we have to start now.

I've always said protecting indigenous languages was a process that must be carried out in the short, medium and definitely long terms. If we don't start today, we'll never get there in the long run. This bill is an absolute priority. I'll be honoured to introduce it soon, and I hope to have your support.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

I'm going to use what little time I have left to thank you very much for appearing here today.

I also want to thank the departmental representatives for all the work they're doing in the cultural sector in Canada.

[Pablo Rodriguez]

Thank you for your work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Thank you.

We will continue now with Mr. Blaney for seven minutes.

[Steven Blaney, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, CPC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Welcome to the committee, Mr. Rodriguez. I naturally wish you every success in your important mandate.

You were talking about languages a moment ago. I want to bring you round to the subject of official languages. This morning Carol Jolin, president of the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario, asked the federal government, of which you are a part, whether it was prepared to fund the Université de l'Ontario français out of available funds for the first four years.

[Pablo Rodriguez]

As you know, Mr. Blaney, my colleague Ms. Joly is responsible for the official languages file. I think she could answer that question.

What's clear is that we have made historic investments amounting to $2.7 billion in official languages, if I'm not mistaken. We're walking side by side with our friends, brothers and sisters.

[Steven Blaney]

Mr. Rodriguez, you have a chance to take action. The letter was sent yesterday, and it's now very clear: the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario and the Université de l'Ontario français say the federal government has previously taken similar action on other projects. You fund the first four years, and, once Ontario has eliminated its deficit, it can contribute to the eight remaining years. If the federal government shows the will and leadership, students will be at their desks starting in September.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

I'd like to point out that official languages are not the responsibility of this minister.

[Steven Blaney]

Pardon me, Madam Chair, but we're talking about money today. The minister clearly said in his speech that he wanted to strengthen official languages. I'm sure linguistic duality and the Canadian identity are fundamentally important for Minister Rodriguez. He has a role to play, he's a member of cabinet, and we expect to see Liberal leadership.

Madam Chair, I hope the time this intervention has taken will be subtracted from my speaking time because I have two more questions for the minister.

[Pablo Rodriguez]

Come on.

[Steven Blaney]

Minister, how do you feel when you see the Citadel in Quebec City...

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

On a point of order, Madam Chair, we're on the topic of the estimates. This is not related to the minister's visit.

[Steven Blaney]

May I ask my question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

I will wait to hear his question.

[Steven Blaney]

You should wait to hear the question before judging on the question.

May I ask my question, Madam Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Yes, go ahead.

[Steven Blaney]

I'm going to talk about money instead, more specifically about this $600 million amount, Minister.

We acknowledge that all the sectors you intervene in are very much under pressure. I met the ADISQ representatives last week. They're in trouble, and they're appealing to you, but it's radio silence on your part.

And yet you come up with $600 million for journalists in an election year. Why give them $600 million, and why now? Why spend taxpayers' money when you could come up with bold solutions such as reforming Canada's Income Tax Act?

[Pablo Rodriguez]

Do you think $600 million isn't enough?

[Steven Blaney]

Why is it that the only solution you came up with to assist media in crisis was to spend taxpayers' money? You know there are other solutions. Some have been suggested by the Amis de Radio-Canada organization, more specifically that the loopholes in the Income Tax Act should be closed. Why not take a responsible approach instead of drawing on taxpayers' money?

You rolled out the red carpet for big businesses such as Amazon and Google, which pay no taxes and to which you even grant credits. However, all stakeholders tell you you could have solved the problems in your last budget statement, which you didn't do. Why spend taxpayers' money, thus giving the impression you want to buy the media, whereas we respect journalists? Mr. Rodriguez, why don't you have any more creative solutions?

[Pablo Rodriguez]

May I answer?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Yes.

[Pablo Rodriguez]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

As you know, Mr. Blaney, we're in the process of revising the statutes that govern the entire sector including the major media, digital platforms, Internet giants and others. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Many media players will die off even if we reform the legislation today. We believe professional journalism is one of the pillars of democracy. You agree with me on that, don't you, Mr. Blaney?

[Steven Blaney]

Absolutely.