Evidence of meeting #155 for Canadian Heritage in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was content.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Okay.
I'm seized by the levy, as you can tell. What would the scope of the levy be and how did you come to define it in the report in the way that you did? I know you used words like “harmonize”, but what informed that approach? Is it to get everybody to the same playing field relatively speaking, or is it just a redistribution of the existing cash in the system?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
There are two elements. One is certainly a level playing field. As we noted in the opening remarks, three-quarters of the data traffic on wireline networks is essentially programming. We've we've heard that more and more Canadians are consuming programming on that front, and that will certainly become the dominant programming distribution vehicle in the future. Certainly, that fact has influenced our suggestions on that front. The importance of the contributions to the system is the other element that we've put forward. If you're only asking a certain portion of the distribution industry to contribute, then you will see a shrinking of those important contributions and a lessening to the system.
On the third part, coming back to the fact that we don't think we need more money, this is essentially maintaining the current system.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Okay, that's very helpful, because if my memory serves me correctly, going back to when I was parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the creative sector is about 3.5% of the GDP of the country and employs about 630,000 people, and we want to see that number grow. Did you find any creative approaches other than a levy—other than a consumer tax, other than a redistributed tax on consumers—to actually get the Internet service providers and the streaming platform services to engage with us to create more Canadian content like co-production agreements or stepping into the market? The next time Marco Polo is filmed, let's do it in Canada. Okay, maybe we don't have the same landscape, but let's have some dramas in Edmonton, because there is a lot of drama some days in my city.
How do we get these big shops to produce more Canadian content other than just relying on a levy?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
There's are various means, and the levy was one of the examples that was highlighted in the report. As we look forward, various players can contribute towards the production directly, as television broadcasters or specialty services currently do. Some global platforms can also distribute Canadian content across the world, and those are certainly some advantages or some contributions that they can do over and above.
There are issues with respect to discoverability. How can we ensure that the user-generated platforms help in putting forward Canadian content on a global platform or on a local platform and so on and so forth? There are various means. We certainly have looked at all of those in the report, and those are why we're concluding that we need some change to be able to adapt our system, to be able ask exactly, and to ask each of those players, to make the best possible contribution towards the Canadian system, as the act currently requires.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I just have a quick question because I probably have 20 seconds or less. Google owns YouTube. Facebook owns Instagram. Those are powerful companies. Does the part of the CRTC that you regulate and that deals with those companies need more tools from legislators to be able to do your job as regulators?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Yes.
Liberal
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
I'll share with Mr. Yurdiga and be quick.
Yes, Mr. Boissonnault, there was a second version of the Game of Thrones. It was in Edmonton, and there's a new king in the chair.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Thank you.
In point 3, where you said “create a nimble, innovative and readily adaptable”, now that's for a regulator. Most people want to know what the regulator is and what the rules are and that they're consistent. You made a statement there that to me is just the oxymoron of what people look for in a regulator.
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The suggestion there is our legislation. What it comes from is that essentially the current legislation, whether it's the Broadcasting Act or Telecommunications Act, has been very much technology neutral. What we're essentially asking and suggesting as legislators look towards the future is to certainly maintain that technology-neutral theme and ensure that we concentrate on outcomes.
Do we want Canadian content to be produced? What type of Canadian content do we want produced, more than the actual specifying that YouTube should be doing X, Google should be doing Y, and CTV News should be doing Z? I think that's the theme we're trying to put forward.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
That would make much more sense if you put that there as part of it, because when you use those words there, it doesn't. Thanks.
Mr. Yurdiga.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
You mentioned neutrality. I've read a lot of articles about net neutrality and the framework. A lot of people believe that there's a stranglehold on net neutrality. What's the position of the CRTC on what should be done?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
We're jumping into the telecom side—
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
—but I will just give a message that Canada, the CRTC and the Telecommunications Act have produced one of the most robust net neutrality regimes in the world, and our suggestion simply is, let's continue with that very robust approach.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Is there always an overlap? Obviously, you both work together. It's complicated, but there is a concern that government is overreaching into what we see and what we want to hear. I'm hearing this concern. In your position, do you think we're doing too much or not enough?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Well, there's net neutrality on the telecom networks, and essentially that has quite a long history of intervention.... It's actually meant to ensure that the telecom players do not intervene in that free flow of communication. I'd actually say that the interventions and our approaches to net neutrality, the free flow of information and the objectives of the Telecommunications Act serve exactly the concern you're expressing.
Conservative
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
I'm not sure if this is your department or not, because I've been wrong three times in a row—
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
That's all right.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
It's the Canadian anti-spam legislation. Am I close?
Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Again—
