Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 23rd, 2023

[Vicky Eatrides]

We are concerned about news and the state of news, as I know this committee is and Canadians are. I would say, with respect to newspapers specifically, the CRTC does not have a role or mandate in regulating newspapers or the diversity of voices. What we have is a limited mandate under the Online News Act, under Bill C-18, to put in place this bargaining framework.

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

I thought you did have a role in the diversity of news business. That's your mandate. You just told me you don't.

[Vicky Eatrides]

It's not for newspapers. We can elaborate on that if you'd like.

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

That's a gap in the system, then.

Go ahead, Scott.

[Scott Shortliffe]

We obviously and clearly have a role in news and broadcasting, which we take very seriously, but it's important to note the difference between Bill C-11 and Bill C-18. Bill C-11 gives us large policy questions. There are a number of policy objectives, and we have to figure out how to achieve them. With Bill C-18, we're basically being asked to administer a policy that the government is setting in regulation, and that will be in regulation by the end of the year. Our role is really to facilitate the commercial negotiations that are based on what we've been given.

For better or for worse, we're not being asked to regulate in the newspaper environment. Newspaper policy is something that very much sits with the Department of Canadian Heritage. Having said that, once we have that mandate we will take very seriously our role to help facilitate those commercial arrangements.

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

In your mandate, you're instructed to make a free and independent press your priority. That's what it says. How can you concede...? This government continues to spend millions on media. On Tuesday they just threw another $100 million at journalism. To me, there's a line. This government continues to throw money at journalism, yet you are an independent press.... Your priority is.... There is a crossover here.

When the government starts throwing money at journalism, there is an issue with journalism as we go forward on that. Your role, as an independent.... When you see millions of dollars being spent on journalists, there is a line of integrity that, I think, has been crossed.

[Vicky Eatrides]

I would come back to the CRTC's role. What I would say is that, under Bill C-11 and under the hearings that we're holding right now, we are looking at whether, if we do go the base contribution route for online streaming services, some of that money should go to news funds.

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

Okay.

I have only 45 seconds left, so this will be my final question. Bill C-18 passed on June 14. That was the day Bell laid off 1,300 employees or 6% of their workforce. Then they shut down six radio stations. Then, the same day Bill C-18 passed, they turned to you and said they wanted to do less local news.

What was your response to Bell officials that day?

[Vicky Eatrides]

That request, which came in the form of an application, is still with commission staff.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much, Kevin.

Now we go to the Liberals and Anna Gainey.

You have five minutes, Anna.

[Anna Gainey, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Thank you.

Thank you for being here today, Ms. Eatrides. Your presentation was very interesting.

I am going to start by saying that like my colleague, I share the concerns regarding TVA and its situation. It is clear that the changes in the world of telecommunications are happening faster and faster and are resulting in job losses.

Is the CRTC sufficiently agile to adapt to the speed of these changes and their impact on the Canadian industry?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Thank you for your question.

Yes, we can be agile.

Naturally, since the CRTC is a tribunal, its processes are relatively formal. We have procedures and hearings for hearing from stakeholders, and that is a very important part of our work that enables us to make decisions.

As you said, there are big changes. We recently heard a very urgent case, and the commission decided to give the case priority in order to make a decision quickly.

So we can do it, absolutely.

[Anna Gainey, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Right, thank you.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Madam Chair, Ms. Gainey is sharing her time, if that's okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Go ahead.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you so much for being with us.

You know, it's always interesting to hear my Conservative colleagues speak with what appears to be disdain for the media, given that in 2014 they spent $20 million monitoring it. They talk about wanting to defund the CBC in their caucus, but I find it remarkable that they're even out of touch with their members. Their members voted down the motion to defund the CBC.

I want to put that on the record as we start. I think it's important to note that sometimes what you may hear from Conservative MPs may not actually reflect the will of Canadians or the facts.

Let's talk about the facts. Your “Myths and Facts” page seems to be the topic of a lot of conversation. Did you draft it, or did the minister's office draft it?

[Vicky Eatrides]

The CRTC drafted it.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Did you share it with them for their feedback? Did you share it with them for information, or did you share it with them as you would with anybody else?

[Vicky Eatrides]

We don't share documents with anybody for feedback. Those are CRTC-only documents.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you.

There's been a lot of talk about how you are purported to want to regulate podcasts. Are you in the business of regulating podcasts?

[Vicky Eatrides]

No.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Are you collecting information on podcasts?

[Vicky Eatrides]

We're not collecting information on podcasts, but perhaps we could just clarify what that decision did.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Please.

[Scott Shortliffe]

What we've asked for in that decision is to collect basic information on podcast services. That is literally your legal name, your address and how we can get in contact with you. That is all we're asking for. That gives us the ability to collect information down the line, if we need it.