Evidence of meeting #42 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 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I did want to raise the same point as Mr. Waugh. However, I also wanted to ask that we end the meeting, since we have another meeting this afternoon. We also have oral question period soon, and we'd like to try to eat a little. Yesterday, we all had to skip dinner.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Yes, I'm hungry for a muffin as well.
There are two things there. As far as your point of order is concerned, you're on a point of order, so I can't let you move a motion to adjourn.
That being said, we are slightly five minutes past. I do provide leeway towards the end for folks who would like to come back from voting, so there's a lag time there. We are under implied consent, as I've said many times, around one o'clock. Mr. Louis is in the middle of his thoughts. I like to let people finish their thoughts, and then we can make a decision from there.
Mr. Louis, you have the floor.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate everyone's need to let free speech be a thing. I can tell you right now, as an artist myself, that artists on the front line of free speech believe that everyone has a right to be heard.
As far as some of these amendments are concerned, I think that CPC-9.5 would bring things to a standstill in terms of decisions that are up for review. However, in a broader stroke, this is not about free speech. This is about supporting artists and having on a level playing field.
I wonder, in my final questions, if Mr. Ripley would give his opinion on whether he thinks the CRTC and its independent legal counsel is sufficient in terms of where it's at right now.
1:05 p.m.
Director General, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
The government's position is that the CRTC is bound by the charter. It needs to respect the charter, and its independent legal counsel will help it do that. If ever there is a question about its not having respected the charter, there are meaningful avenues of recourse available where individuals or organizations can have oversight from the federal court system.
As I indicated to Mr. Rayes, if the objective is to make sure that there's a way that third parties can put legal opinions on record, have them made public and have them considered by the CRTC, the government's position is that this is already able to happen under the framework in Bill C-10, as Mr. Olsen outlined. There is a process whereby anybody can make a submission to any kind of CRTC proceeding. Therefore, if there are individuals or organizations wanting to put on record a legal opinion that speaks to the issue of charter and have that be part of the public record, part of the proceedings that the CRTC must consider, then there is already a way for them to do that under Bill C-10.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Thank you.
I'll ask a quick question, Mr. Ripley.
Whether it's in some of these amendments that we're talking about now or in proposed section 2.1, individual Canadians who use social media platforms are not subject to regulation by this update of the Broadcasting Act. Is that correct?
1:05 p.m.
Director General, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
Yes. Proposed section 2.1 provides that individuals who use social media are not to be considered broadcasters for the purposes of the act unless they are, in some way, affiliated with the social media service. Again, that is irrespective of how many followers they have, even if the count is into the millions, or how much revenue they make. They are not to be considered broadcasters under the Broadcasting Act and are not subject to CRTC jurisdiction thereof.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I don't know whether Mr. Louis is almost finished, but I see that the meeting has already been extended by more than eight minutes. I know you don't want to interrupt him and you want to let him finish, but there will be another meeting this afternoon.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
I appreciate that, Mr. Chair.
I've been waiting a while to get my comments in.
I will simply close by saying that, as an artist, I'm going to continue fighting for artists, and many of the people in this room are. I have no problem going back to my constituents and saying that we stood up for our arts community. I certainly hope that everyone in this committee has the opportunity to go back and talk to their arts stakeholders to see what they have to say.
Thank you for your time.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
1:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
The Zoom coordinates for this afternoon's meeting have been sent to your inboxes.
In the meantime, we'll see you at 3:30 eastern time this afternoon.
The meeting is adjourned.
