Evidence of meeting #26 for Canadian Heritage in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Okay.
One moment, please, folks. I'm going to have to suspend for a little bit to talk to our clerk, but before I do, Mr. Housefather, would you...?
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I was just going to point out, Mr. Chair, that clause 3 of the bill is 4.1.
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
Okay, thank you. I'm sorry about that. I just had a moment of “wrong one”.
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Yes, thank you for clarification. I didn't have the bill in front of me, which is what I was looking for, and I apologize. Otherwise, I would have made the ruling. Thank you, Mr. Housefather, for that. I appreciate it.
(On clause 4)
We're moving on, as said earlier. We're now going to clause 4, and we're going to start with G-5.
Mr. Housefather.
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
This amendment is simply to modify proposed paragraph 5(2)(a) to add words at the end to make 5(2)(a) consistent with what this committee has already done in earlier parts of the bill.
We'd like to add the following words, which we used previously:
including the minority context of French and Indigenous languages in North America—and the particular needs and interests of official language minority communities;
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
1:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Okay. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, we now call for a vote.
(Amendment agreed to)
This now brings us to PV-16, and for those of you wondering about “PV?”, it's Parti vert, a Green Party proposed amendment.
Before we go to Mr. Manly, just note that if PV-16 is adopted, NDP-9 cannot be moved as they are identical.
If PV-16 is negatived, so is NDP-9 for the same reason. It follows the same logic.
Also, if PV-16 is adopted, BQ-12 and G-6 cannot be moved due to a line conflict. For those of you just joining us, that means BQ-12 and G-6 would be amending something that no longer exists because it has been amended. I hope that makes sense.
Nevertheless, we're back to PV-16.
Mr. Manly.
1:45 p.m.
Green
Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The bill adds that the broadcasting system should be regulated in a flexible manner that “is fair and equitable” between undertakings that provide “services of a similar nature”, taking size variations into account, but “services of a similar nature” is too vague. It would result in the CRTC, the commission, grouping together services that are different enough to warrant different regulation.
This amendment replaces the paragraph so that regulations should take “into account the nature and diversity of the services”. It takes into account “their size” but also their “impact on the Canadian creative and production ecosystem”.
The organization that supported this was the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. I hope the members of the committee will support this amendment.
1:45 p.m.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I don't have anything against the Green Party, but our amendment is much more complete, and contains much more substance that we could discuss. I therefore move that we reject amendment PV-16 and move directly to consideration of amendment BQ-12.
April 23rd, 2021 / 1:45 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Not to take sides here, but the good news is that we all agree in principle. I'm looking at the NDP, the Bloc, the Greens, the government—everyone's on the same side here. After looking at the amendments, I would have to say that, personally, I do support the Bloc's amendment as well. Can we support that one even though that came afterwards? What would be the technical thing that I would have to do, to say that I support the Bloc amendment? Then we can talk about that further, or maybe ask for the guide—
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Mr. Louis, we have to deal with this one first. Once we've dispensed with this, then we can move on to the next one.
Mr. Manly.
1:45 p.m.
Green
Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Yes, I just want to note, on the Bloc amendment, PV-24 covers the things in the Bloc amendment that are missing in this amendment. I divided out the amendments to different parts of the bill, so we're going to hit on that amendment later on, which will pick up on BQ-12.
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Thank you, Mr. Manly.
Mr. Louis, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be dismissive from the beginning. I hope it wasn't perceived that way. Let me just clarify that beyond PV-16, the next one will be BQ-12. I should have added that for clarification.
Seeing no further conversation, no further debate, we now go to PV-16 for a vote.
Shall PV-16 carry?
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
Can we just negative this?
I believe the Green Party doesn't even have a vote on this, and I haven't seen a yes.
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
Sure, just to make it go faster, basically.
(Amendment negatived on division [See Minutes of Proceedings])
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Now we go to BQ-12. If BQ-12 is adopted, G-6 cannot be moved due to a line conflict. I'm just reiterating what was mentioned earlier.
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
1:45 p.m.
The Clerk
No. It's just that, since PV-16 was defeated, so would NDP-9 as a consequence, because they are identical.
1:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
I should have mentioned that. In my own mind, I said that, but apparently, that's not for everyone else, is it? That's just for me.
You have my apologies. NDP-9 has been negatived as well. Thank you, Philippe, good catch.
Now we're back to BQ-12.
Did I see Mr. Champoux? Okay, go ahead.
1:50 p.m.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
I'm sorry. I forgot to raise my hand.
Along the same lines, amendment BQ-12 proposes that the bill be amended by replacing lines 8 to 12 on page 5 with the following:
(a.1) takes into account the nature and diversity of the services provided by broadcasting undertakings, as well as their size, their impact on the Canadian creation and production industry and any other characteristic that may be relevant in the circumstances;
(a.2) requires any broadcasting undertaking that cannot make maximum use, and in no case less than predominant use, of Canadian creative and other resources in the creation and presentation of programming to contribute to these Canadian resources in an equivalent manner;
We are therefore proposing one more paragraph than is in the previous Green Party amendment.
The objective of our amendment is to have online undertakings, when they are unable for one reason or another to make use of Canadian resources, contribute to the Canadian broadcasting system by other equitable means, to be determined by the CRTC, whether financial or otherwise.