Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 30th, 2023

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

I'll jump in.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Michael, go ahead.

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you so much for being here, Minister.

There are so many parts that make up your mandate letter. Can you just tell us maybe one item you're really excited about that's outside of the items we discussed today?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

One of them I'm really looking forward to talking more to Canadians about is the future of CBC/Radio-Canada. It is part of my mandate letter. It's something I hold dear because I respect the role, the mandate and the mission of our public broadcaster.

It's time that we have a great conversation about its future, because the landscape has changed so much with the arrival of digital platforms and the fact that the advertising money is going more toward those platforms instead of our own platforms and Canadian companies. Therefore, we need to make sure CBC/Radio-Canada, its mandate, its role and its mission are in adequation with the situation and the current market. This is probably one of the next things I will talk about with stakeholders from the sector but also with Canadians.

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

I'm going to go to Martin Champoux.

Martin, you have two and a half minutes, please.

Before we turn on the clock for Mr. Champoux, I want to say that the minister had said she would stay a full hour. Now, we only have five minutes left to the time that she came in, so I'm going to ask the minister if she has to leave at that time or if she can stay for 10 minutes longer for two more questions in the round.

If not, that's fine. We will just end with Mr. Julian.

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I respect the work of my colleagues on the committee, so I will stay for another ten minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

Martin.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Minister, the cultural sector has put forward a lot of arguments in recent months. It is having a hard time recovering from the pandemic. The programs have not met their expectations and needs. Expectations and hopes were high following the economic statement, and media headlines have not been kind about that economic statement. The cultural sector is angry.

I'd like you to respect one condition when you answer this next question. You are not allowed to tell me that you worked to reform the Broadcasting Act. I want an answer for the cultural sector.

Is any money coming for the people in that sector? Is anything happening on that side?

If not, beginning April 1, it will be a disaster for many organizations in the cultural sector.

Are we going to let them down?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I have spoken with stakeholders in the cultural sector. The fall economic statement really focused on housing, and especially on measures to help all Canadians. I am thinking of tax and legislative measures. I know that the cultural sector needs support. We are continuing to work hard. We have been there for those in the sector, and we'll continue to be there for them.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

That's what we hear all the time. You say that you're there and that you'll continue to be there because you love culture. Right now, however, the request is very clear. This is an emergency. The cultural sector needs an influx of funds or, at least, some hope. We need to reassure the people in the sector that there will be money for them in the next budget. They need a commitment. Otherwise, it won't be possible for them to anticipate or plan their activities.

Predictability is what allows the cultural sector to make plans. Its members are not going to put up their homes as collateral to hold a festival in their region. They need to know that the government will help them.

What's next for them, in concrete terms?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

We are continuing to work to ensure that the sector is adequately supported. I understand the importance of festivals and live entertainment in every region. It's also a very important economic vector for tourism, and we're going to do everything we can to continue supporting the cultural sector. We are well aware that it is still suffering the consequences of the pandemic. People aren't going to concerts and shows as much as they used to.

We are supporting this sector. I can't tell you anything more about the upcoming budget, but what I can tell you is that we're working hard to be there and to continue to support the vitality of this sector.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

Peter Julian, the floor is yours for two and a half minutes, please.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Minister, I'd like to come back to the question of online harms. Last year, in 2022, multiple ideologically motivated killings in North America were carried out by right-wing extremists. We all saw it. We talked about homophobia, anti-Semitism, hate messages and racism.

All these online harms are still happening. Why is the government still waiting to take action? Why do we still not have a date for the introduction of this important bill?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I agree with you that we need to do more to fight extremism, to take action against the far right. What happens online has repercussions in real life. This is reflected in people's actions and in society.

It's important for this bill to be properly drafted, for it to be well targeted and for it to achieve the goals we want to achieve. We will introduce it as soon as it's ready to achieve the right balance.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Will it be ready by December, January, February? When will the bill be introduced? Can you give us a date?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I'm as keen as you are to get it done quickly, but I can't give you an exact date. I can tell you that it is a priority and that as soon as the bill is ready, it will be introduced. We hope to have the co‑operation of all the political parties, to ensure that the debate is healthy and serves to strengthen the bill, so it can come into force as soon as possible after it is introduced.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Okay, but time is of the essence.

Your department has also launched the local journalism initiative. The program was supposed to be renewed, but there's no mention of it in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement.

Why is the federal government dragging its feet on this program? Can you assure us that it will be renewed?

My final question concerns the challenge of safety in sport, which we've been studying for some time. Why hasn't the government set up a public inquiry into safety in sport?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Naturally, I can give you no assurance as to what will be in the budget, but I can tell you that I'm extremely aware of how important the funds distributed under the local journalism initiative are and the impact they've had. They've enabled community radio stations to hire journalists and occupy what had become a media desert due to the media crisis. It's a very important program, and I hope we can maintain it.

On the subject of safety in sport, my colleague Ms. Qualtrough will be appearing before you shortly. During my time as Minister of Sport, I wish I had been able to set up the inquiry. It was very important to me. My colleague will be able to give you an update on that, but I'm very proud to have achieved, with the department, a major reform within national sports organizations for greater security, accountability and transparency.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Minister.

The next question goes to the Conservatives and Martin.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister.

One of the things you started talking about was the importance of culture. I don't think things have changed much around this table. I've been here for many years on this committee, but I'm the only one who has a membership to the National Gallery sitting around here, and I'm the only one who goes frequently to the National Arts Centre. Keep that in mind—

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

I have a membership.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Good. Finally. Thank you. It's good to see, because that has changed since I started this and pulled out my membership and nobody had one.

As you see, it's across parties, and we support culture. Therefore, when you impinge one group over another, I get a little frustrated by that kind of opinion.

There's another number I've said many times, and it's come up a number of times over the years. It's the 30% of advertising that the federal government has moved into the big techs. I have about 13 weekly papers in my riding, and when I met with them, they said, “We used to get that 30%, and now we get zero.”

If this government were really serious about supporting our weekly and local media, it would move its advertising away from the big techs that it calls its enemies. I've heard it in this room many times. Go back to supporting our weekly papers.

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thank you very much for the question.

I commend your involvement with the National Arts Centre. It's great to see you supporting arts and culture, but the government also has a role to play regarding not only financial support, but also the statutes and regulations implemented to ensure the vitality of our cultural and media industries.

Measures like the ones you mention—advertising investments that can be made in our Canadian media—are one way of supporting the sector. I agree with you, and we're looking at how we can do more. In particular, I think the fact that municipalities removed public notices from most local media also dealt the sector a serious blow. All levels of government need to do more, the provinces—