Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 14th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

No.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay. I just wanted to clarify that. Thank you.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

I totally agree. We need a visual, and that's very important as we look at this. Wording is key and wording does make a difference. Having them orally is one thing, but we need to see a visual.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Housefather.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it.

Overall, I agree with Mr. Champoux's motion. I think it deals with a very important issue. His second motion is also important, but I just hope that it will include sport, which isn't in there now.

The motions we adopted were already familiar to us; we knew what they said. Today, perhaps we can agree to wait until we receive the other motions in writing. That way, we could deal with them at the next meeting, once we've had a chance to discuss them with our fellow members, since we may have amendments to put forward. That would be better for me, because I can't recall the exact wording of the motion without having it in front of me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Champoux, please go ahead.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Chair, as I said earlier, I'm somewhat of a neophyte when it comes to procedure, like Ms. McPherson. I sent the motions in writing and the clerk has them in hand.

Could the committee ask the clerk to send them out to everyone, so that notice is deemed to have been given?

[The Clerk]

Absolutely, we can distribute those documents. I simply await the direction to do so, and we can certainly send those off by email. I can't guarantee.... Hopefully, they'll arrive as quickly as possible, but there may be a bit of a delay in sending those by email.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Thank you, Tom.

I have Mr. Housefather and Mr. Champoux with raised hands.

It appears that we're going to have to have.... We'll distribute both motions, Mr. Champoux, and then we discuss this at the next meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Champoux.

Now we go to Madame Bessette.

[Lyne Bessette, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Yes.

I, too, have a motion to propose. It reads as follows:

That the committee undertake a comprehensive study to review the government's support to the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic; that it consider new measures that would better support these sectors which are disproportionally affected by the pandemic and facilitate getting artists, athletes and the cultural sector workers back to work and competitions; that it also consider measures to best assure and protect business continuity for event, festival, races and tournament organizers in these specific sectors; that the committee hold no less than four meetings on this subject; and that the committee report its findings to the House.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Is there any discussion on this motion?

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I believe that this motion is, in a way, much more comprehensive than, but similar to, Mr. Champoux's second motion. If this is again one that we're putting on notice to be debated at the next meeting, perhaps prior to the next meeting, Madame Bessette, Mr. Champoux and whoever else can sit down and agree on how to draft the motion to everyone's satisfaction so that the issue is covered.

I think it shows the same general desire as Mr. Champoux's second motion. It's just done in more detail. Perhaps before the next meeting they can agree on what exactly should be in the motion, and then we can vote on that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Rayes, you may go ahead.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

I agree. I think we should do the same thing we're doing for the other motions, meaning, wait until we have a hard copy so we can read them and see whether there's any overlap, and perhaps even consolidate certain motions to produce a final version. That way, we could also propose amendments.

I have two motions, as well. I'd like to read them and make sure the clerk can send them out afterwards.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Thank you, Mr. Rayes.

Mr. Champoux, you may go ahead.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I just wanted to chime in on the discussion. I totally agree with combining motions that are very similar, so we don't waste time talking endlessly about issues that could be grouped together.

That said, I do think we need to be careful when we do that. The cultural sector is facing a unique set of circumstances, and if we don't examine them separately, we at least have to address them in conjunction with similar situations. What I'm trying to say is we mustn't water down our study of the challenges facing the cultural sector by introducing a host of other sectors because we've grouped them together in an effort to find a universal solution.

I think we really need to focus on finding a solution for the cultural community in response to the huge crisis it is facing. Of course, that in no way diminishes what other sectors are struggling with. I just want us to be mindful of that when we combine motions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

That's food for thought. Thank you very much.

Perhaps, as originally suggested by Mr. Housefather, Madame Bessette and Monsieur Champoux can have a discussion as to where they can find common ground on these motions, and then we can discuss them. You have given notice on them now, and we can discuss them at the next meeting.

Does anybody else have anything to say about that?

I think that we're now drawing to a close.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Rayes had two motions to put forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Rayes, you would like to take the floor. My sincere apologies, I completely forgot.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

It's all right.

I have two motions to put forward, but I'd like to say something first.

I want to be sure we discuss the motions before establishing the list of priorities, once we have them all, by the next meeting.

My first motion is similar to Mrs. Bessette's. We all seem to share the same interests, regardless of political stripe. My motion reads as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage conduct a general study of at least 4 meetings on the socio-economic impacts of stakeholders under the Department of Canadian Heritage or benefiting, in one way or another, from the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the organizations therein being subject to:

a) draw up a clear picture of the impacts of the pandemic on their activities;

b) better identify their needs during the current crisis; c) identify gaps in federal aid programs; d) identify more effective support measures better suited to their reality. This study should be completed before the Christmas Break.

My second motion reads as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage ask the Minister of Canadian Heritage to appear before the committee, along with Department of Canadian Heritage officials, to discuss the department's main estimates and spending priorities, and that this meeting be held before November 24, 2020.

Those are my two motions, which we will send to you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Monsieur Rayes, I'm going to break this up once again into your first motion, followed by your second motion regarding the estimates. How about, now that it's been read into the record, we have a discussion on the first motion?

Mr. Shields, your hand is up.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

No, it was to introduce another motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Could I ask you for your patience for just one moment?

Does anyone wish to discuss what was put forward by Mr. Rayes?

[The Clerk]

Mr. Chair, just as a point of clarification, these are notices of motion being put forward, so there's no need for debate right now. My understanding is that these motions are all just being put on notice. Again, I could be corrected on that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

No, maybe I got lost in translation there.

Mr. Rayes, you're putting the notice of motion. Is that correct?