Canadian Heritage Committee on Feb. 15th, 2024

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

That question, Madam Chair, if you'll allow me, was addressed to Monsieur Champagne.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Monsieur Champagne, can we have that in writing, please?

[Éric-Pierre Champagne]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

I want to thank the witnesses for taking the time to come—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I'm sorry, but according to the schedule we have, we're going until 5:15 before we head into committee business.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We have votes as well, so we'll have to cut everything we do short by about five minutes. Not everyone's going to get a piece of the action in a third round, Mrs. Thomas, so I've decided to end it here.

I thank the witnesses for coming and for all the valid and vital information you gave us.

I'm going to suspend so we can get into business. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I have an indication that some members would like us to go in camera for the business meeting. It's going to take us about five to 10 minutes to do that, so we'd better get on with this, because we're going to have bells soon.

Yes, Mrs. Thomas.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

I wish to move a motion. We are in committee business, so I'll go ahead and do that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

What I am trying to do is get back into committee business.

Mr. Champoux indicated he wants to say something.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Chair, Ms. Thomas has the floor right now. I think that she wanted to move a motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay.

Go ahead, Rachael.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

I—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We are still in public. Do you all know that?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay, that's good. It's just so you know.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I believe that's regular practice.

Thank you very much. I appreciate getting the floor.

I wish to move a motion, I don't think it will take too long. I have a second motion after this, which I think will be quick too. Hopefully I'll have the consent of the committee for this one first.

I move:

Given that:

A rise in antisemitism and antisemitic violence at Canadian university and post-secondary campuses is being witnessed and documented across the country;

Six Canadian universities are currently subject to class-action lawsuits alleging “decades-long documented history of antisemitic rhetoric at multiple Canadian universities”; and

The 2024 AGPI Universities Antisemitism Report Card highlights the “serious problems our universities have with antisemitism, anti-Zionism and anti-Jewish hate”;

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee:

Immediately undertake a comprehensive study, of no less than 10 hours, and invite Presidents of Canadian Universities to discuss what actions they are taking to counter this escalation of antisemitism and antisemitic violence on their campuses, and report its findings to the House.

Madam Chair, this is the motion I'm moving today. I brought copies of it should you wish for me to distribute them to the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

That's great. I was going to ask if we could distribute them.

Are they in English and French?

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Yes, I have copies of the motion in both French and English.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thanks. Then let's pass them around.

While waiting for them to be passed around, I want to give you a piece of information that I think I need your response to. We heard back from Bell. They responded to the invitation for February 29. They said the CEO is not available during that week and offered instead to appear on either March 19 or 21.

I'll need the committee to tell me how you want to go with that. I'd like to get your feedback while we're waiting for the distribution of the motion.

Is it okay for them to come on March 19?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

There's no objection, so I'll inform the clerk to go ahead and tell them they can come on March 19.

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

I believe they're in front of the CRTC right now. That may be one of the reasons, but yes, March 19 is fine. I think we need the CEO of Bell here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We shall go ahead with that. The clerk has informed me that we'll now have the meeting with Bell on March 19.

We have bells, so I need permission from the committee to go for another 15 minutes.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Do I have permission to go for 15 minutes? Okay, good.

What we have on the table is Mrs. Thomas'—