Evidence of meeting #83 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 languages.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
One thing is for sure, the cultural sector has been asking you for that for one heck of a long time.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
It would be nice if you would answer my question, Mr. Nantel.
4:30 p.m.
NDP
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Mr. Nantel, you've asked a question. Has Madame Joly answered it to your satisfaction?
Are you asking another question now?
4:30 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you.
Today, streaming represents the bulk of Internet traffic. Given this reality, we can understand why Internet service providers, or ISPs, are making so much money right now. Is it because of this observation that you tweeted the following to Pierre Karl Péladeau on September 30, 2017, during the broadcast of the program Tout le monde en parle?
@PKP_Qc Your Videotron Internet service benefits from the popularity of Netflix. Why isn't this service putting $ into our culture?
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Mr. Nantel, I asked you a question.
Is the idea of increasing taxes on Internet services the official position of the NDP?
4:30 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Quite obviously, this is a politically sensitive issue, and I understand that you have chosen to place this responsibility on the shoulders of the CRTC, but that isn't the issue. You are the minister. Many thousands of employees come under your responsibility, and the cultural community has been requesting it for almost 15 years.
On October 3, you told cultural representatives in Montreal that you were ready to talk about the contribution of Internet service providers to culture. You apparently even told them that perhaps they should put pressure on the Liberal members to have the government impose a kind of contribution.
Is that correct?
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Is imposing taxes on Internet service providers the NDP's position?
I expressed our position clearly. We know that stakeholders in the production sector are on tenterhooks.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
As the revenue of our cable companies decreases, so does their contribution to the Canada media fund. So our government decided to respond to this concern by reinvesting millions of dollars to stabilize the fund. Therefore, the government's contribution is increasing, but it allows our producers, especially producers of French-language content, to benefit from 30% of all revenue to the fund.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Since I have only 30 seconds left, I'll ask you one last question.
Isn't it true that you said the same thing on October 3, 2017, when leaving the meeting and, three days later, your office contradicted those remarks and issued a press release saying that you in no way intended to make ISPs contribute?
Who is telling the truth: you or the press release?
It's all very difficult to follow.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
As I told you, our position on the matter has always been clear. However, I note that the NDP's position, in terms of the contribution of Internet service providers to the media fund isn't at all.
In our view, the government has to play its role, and that is what we are doing. That is how we make sure that we have a strong production sector.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
In other words, you have never stated that ISPs should be required to contribute. Is that it?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB
Thank you. I'll be sharing my time with Rémi Massé.
Congratulations on this excellent presentation.
In your remarks on Creative Canada, you alluded several times to the importance of supporting creative content in both official languages. As you know, official language minority communities rely on local newspapers to find out what is going on in their communities. That's certainly the case in Manitoba and in the riding of Saint-Boniface, which I represent and where I live. We rely on our newspaper, La Liberté.
Could you explain how the Creative Canada strategy will support journalism in official language minority communities?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Thank you, my hon. colleague.
In the context of our consultations on Canadian content in a digital world, as well as in our consultations on the action plan for official languages, I have heard from representatives of newspapers and print media across the country who work in linguistic minority communities. Their heartfelt appeal and their concerns really resonated with us.
We are currently exploring how we can modernize the Canada periodical fund and facilitate the transition to digital content. We also need to recognize the importance of these media, particularly with respect to the vitality of minority language communities
Finally, this issue is addressed in the action plan for official languages that we are working on. I'm convinced we'll have good news to report on this subject.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB
Are there deadlines for the initiative to change the plan or for how these newspapers are funded?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
We will work on modernization in the coming months. At the end of September, in my speech on Creative Canada, I announced that this vision would have an impact on all our public policies, programs, regulations and legislation.
It goes without saying that I had this in mind when I said that we recognize the importance of journalism, that we want to maintain its independence, that we are going to modernize the Canada media fund and make sure we support the transfer to digital content. We will work on it over the next few months.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Rémi Massé Liberal Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Good afternoon, Madam Minister.
Thank you for being here this afternoon to take part in the committee's activities.
I would also like to thank Ms. Roy and Mr. Flack.
Madam Minister, like me, you are first and foremost an MP from Quebec. You mentioned earlier that you are familiar with not only the needs, but also the issues and concerns, as well as the fears of creators and producers of Quebec content.
Since the start of your mandate, what concrete measures have been implemented to support the Quebec creative industry and the French-language creative industry across Canada, in the context of the digital upheaval?
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
This has been a concern and priority for our government from the beginning.
By reinvesting $675 million in Radio-Canada, we have been able to ensure that we are preserving a lever that was particularly affected by the previous government, but also to ensure that we reinvest in the talent of our creators.
I attended the ADISQ Gala last Sunday. My colleague and several members of provincial Parliament were there, too. I spoke to various artists who told me how important investments in Radio-Canada were. They also told me that the artists felt it, on the ground. This has a direct impact on their ability to live well and work well on a daily basis.
When the CRTC made a decision on broadcasting licences for different francophone groups, I was very concerned that there wasn't necessarily a guarantee that original French-language content would be developed. So we could potentially end up with TV series translated rather than produced here, for example. That's why we referred the decision back to the CRTC for review.
In my opinion, it goes without saying that we can't have a strong French-language broadcasting system if we don't have a strong production system in Quebec and throughout the Canadian Francophonie.