Canadian Heritage Committee on April 26th, 2021

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

It's on page 113.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

There you go. Thank you, Mr. Waugh.

Mr. Rayes, would you like to pause for just a second?

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

I just found it, but I'm still unsure about something. I'm sorry, but it's just because of my lack of familiarity with procedures. Following what we have just adopted, are we going to return to amendment G-16 as amended, or will be no longer be looking at it, in which case I can put it in the recycle bin?

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Yes, feel free to put it away.

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

Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Good.

All right, we're back to BQ-21.

Mr. Champoux.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I just want to mention to Mr. Rayes that the recycle bin would be fine. However, if he printed on both sides of the paper, I would suggest that he be careful, because page 12 contains important content that he might want to consult later.

The purpose of amendment BQ-21 is to add the following paragraph:

(e.1) the expenditures to be made by persons carrying on broadcasting undertakings for the purposes set out in subsection 11.1(1));

We want to make sure that the CRTC has the tools required to establish a framework for broadcasting undertaking operators with respect to the expenses they would be required to make under the subsection mentioned.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Is there any further discussion on BQ-21?

Shall BQ-21 carry?

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

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

I'm hearing no.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Can we say carried on division, Mr. Rayes, or would you like a recorded vote?

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

I would like a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Madam Clerk, please go ahead.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)

I declare BQ-21 carried.

This brings us to PV-21. It is deemed moved.

We now go to Mr. Manly.

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Chair, I proposed this amendment because a small number of big broadcasters control access to broadcasting and disproportionately impose their conditions on independent producers. The Yale report noted this major “power imbalance” and recommended that the CRTC regulate these relationships.

This amendment adds that that the CRTC may impose conditions of service to establish a framework for contractual practices between broadcasters and independent producers. A framework would serve as a tool to better support independent producers in contract negotiations. This amendment is related to amendment PV-23, which would also enable the creation of regulations to establish contractual frameworks.

The organizations that supported this are the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada and the Canadian Media Producers Association.

I hope committee members will support this amendment.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Ms. Dabrusin.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to say that much of the intent would be covered by LIB-7, which is coming up, but this is a really rigid approach. It is getting involved in contractual arrangements in a way that's very prescriptive and rigid, so it would not be the preferred means of going about it. I would suggest that LIB-7 would be a better way to proceed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Shields.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Manly, when you're talking about a framework, do you want to expand on what you mean by a framework? Are you talking about an extensive piece of documentation? This is something that you've been talking about a bit as we've gone through this process. Can you describe what a framework would be? What are we talking about? Is it a bureaucratic one? I'm a little concerned when you use the word “framework”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Given the nature of the question, Ms. McPherson, before I go to you, I will ask Mr. Manly if he wants to respond to that.

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Sure.

A contractual framework would set some parameters around how these contracts would be set up between the big broadcasters and independent producers. As the Yale report identifies, this is a power imbalance, and it's something that has been identified as needing to be fixed.

It would be up to the CRTC to determine what that framework looked like.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Go ahead, Ms. McPherson.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you.

I like this amendment, so I will be supporting it. I think it offers up more certainty and more assurance for the smaller producers that the commission will have the power to level the playing field in negotiations with broadcasters. I commend Mr. Manly for bringing this forward and I'll be supporting it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Champoux.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I'd just like to draw a parallel.

We are in the process of reforming the Broadcasting Act because of an imbalance in the market. At the moment, major Canadian broadcasting undertakings are being treated unfairly. That's why we are reforming the act by means of bill C-10. However, there are some much smaller players in that same market. They are even more deeply affected than the major undertakings, and will be affected even more unless we take immediate action to support them, now and for years to come.

It's not at all a bad amendment. It deserves support.