Evidence of meeting #27 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 crtc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Mr. Chair, this question is for the department.
I think “discoverability” is a term that has been used. What would their view be on adding the word “showcasing” in the sense of what this would mean?
That's another adjective that has been added into it. How would they view this change in the sense of adding that word into it as to what discoverability is?
11:50 a.m.
Director General, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace, Department of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Shields, thank you for the question.
The two terms seem related in the sense that both speak to increasing the visibility of Canadian programming or programming services.
“Discoverability” perhaps is a broader term. From my perspective, “showcasing” speaks more to thinking about when you log on to a home screen or something like that and you have the showcase of programs that are being displayed or advertised. To me, “showcasing” has more that promotional element to it; “discoverability” is a broader term.
My view is that showcasing, in some respects, would be one way to increase the discoverability of Canadian programming or programming services.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Mr. Shields, can I go to Ms. McPherson first and then come back to you?
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Chair, I was just going to provide my own interpretation, but if Mr. Shields has a follow-up question, I'm happy to listen to it.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
I can go to the marketing sense that if you walked into a store, you might see displays in certain sections that would show discoverability, but what you're talking about is the storefront out there in a sense of showcasing something in the window on the street to get somebody to come into the store.
I'm guessing that's how you're interpreting this to happen. The question then is who is determining what goes in that storefront window?
11:50 a.m.
Director General, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace, Department of Canadian Heritage
Thank you, Mr. Shields.
That would be my view of it, again that “showcasing” has a promotional aspect, although I certainly defer to Ms. McPherson in terms of her reason for putting it forward and what she understands the amendment to be on that.
It would be the CRTC, so we're in the context again of where the CRTC has been given certain order-making powers.
For example, the way this could work in practice, you could imagine the CRTC making an order to require a certain number of Canadian programs to be surfaced in terms of programming that's offered to Canadians. However, this could also speak to requiring them to showcase, have the thumbnail, for example, on the landing page when you log into your streaming service, have a proportion of that needing to be Canadian titled or Canadian programming.
That's how I would understand what's on the table.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
To clarify, that is what I was intending with the subamendment, the enhanced profile—though not just having discoverability, but ensuring that there is an enhanced promotion, an enhanced profile of Canadian content.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Thank you.
Mr. Shields, I'm assuming that you don't want anything else. Your hand is still raised.
Thank you, folks.
Seeing no further conversation, let me remind everybody that we are still on amendment G-8, but we are currently on the subamendment put forward by Ms. McPherson, which adds the word "showcasing" before "discoverability".
We'll now go to a vote on the subamendment by Ms. McPherson to amendment G-8.
Shall the subamendment carry?
(Subamendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Mr. Champoux, I believe you have something to add.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Yes, Mr. Chair. I'd like to put forward a new subamendment to amendment G-8, which was just amended. The purpose is to add the element shown at the end of amendment BQ-19, which says, "such as French language original programs". We would thus keep the wording of amendment G-8 as amended, but it would end as follows:
—Canadian programming services and programs, such as French language original programs;
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
I think that's pretty straightforward; however, for fairness, because I'm not completely versed in French to do the full translation, I'm going to ask Mr. Méla to repeat what was just put forward by Mr. Champoux as a subamendment to amendment to G-8.
Mr. Méla.
11:55 a.m.
Legislative Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to read the French version first. For my colleague interpreters, I'll do the English version afterwards.
The French version would read as follows:
b) la présentation des émissions et des services de programmation que peut sélectionner le public, y compris la mise en valeur et la découvrabilité des émissions canadiennes et des services de programmation canadiens, notamment les émissions de langue originale française;
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
I'm looking for a nod from Mr. Champoux to see whether he's okay with that.
It looks okay.
Mr. Rayes.
11:55 a.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Amendment G-8 would be much more acceptable to us if this subamendment were adopted.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Is there any further debate?
Seeing none, let me remind you—I think we're all clear now on what's being proposed—that this is the subamendment by Mr. Champoux regarding amendment G-8.
(Subamendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We now return to the main amendment, G-8, as amended on a couple of occasions.
(Amendment as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Amendment G-8 now being adopted, proposed amendments BQ-19 and NDP-12 cannot be moved because of a line conflict.
I'm sure that comes as no shock to any of you.
Now we'll go to amendment PV-20.
Mr. Manly.
11:55 a.m.
Green
Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This amendment specifies that the CRTC could make orders that impose official languages conditions.
Specifically, this amendment adds that the CRTC may impose conditions of service respecting the proportion of original language programs to be broadcast in each official language.
The bill currently has a long list of what the CRTC can make these orders about, but official languages were not included in the first version of the bill. It's important to ensure the presentation of original French language content in particular. This amendment would give the CRTC greater ability to ensure that original language presentation is occurring in both official languages.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I believe that we have already addressed the question of original French language programming via amendment BQ-18. I therefore don't understand why we would adopt amendment PV-20 when what it is proposing has already been dealt with in amendment BQ-18.