Evidence of meeting #13 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was artists.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I just wanted to say that it is going to be up to the committee to therefore find that time, because we still have to do the recommendations and conclusions from our report. We left mid-sentence at the very last meeting that we had.
Does somebody else have their hand up?
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Yes, Madam Chair.
I agree with both my colleagues. I think we managed to make it through a 74-page report in the space of the last meeting. I think this committee works very effectively together. I think what we'll find around the recommendations is that either we come to a consensus or we vote down certain recommendations, but I think it'll happen without any of us filibustering.
I think we can fit it into next week. Unless the intention of the subcommittee was to talk about other things—and at this point it's a little unclear when the legislation will come to us—I think we would be okay resolving things next week, as Mr. Bittle and Mr. Champoux have indicated.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Peter. I think the promise of not filibustering and getting going on it is a great one. That means we can move forward with this particular issue.
I do think Ms. de Billy Brown wanted to talk to us about the Rogers-Shaw report.
Gabrielle de Billy Brown Committee Researcher
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will actually let my colleague Marion quickly explain what we would like to talk about next week, basically.
Marion Ménard Committee Researcher
I just wanted to let you know that the report on the transaction between Rogers and Shaw was distributed this afternoon. Otherwise, I don't have anything to say about it.
What is your question, Madam Chair?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I was told the analysts wanted to speak to the committee about the Shaw-Rogers report, so I am giving you the chance to do that.
Committee Researcher
That's a very short report, as was asked by the members of the committee. There's a paragraph regarding the decision of the CRTC, published last week, because the CRTC accepted the transaction with some conditions. There are 10 recommendations at the end submitted by the members.
Essentially, that's it, Madam Chair.
The Clerk
I believe it's the Status of the Artist Act report that Ms. de Billy Brown wants to discuss with the members of the committee, and the outline of the report.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I see. Okay, that was not the message I had. Anyway, thank you.
Go ahead, Ms. de Billy Brown.
Committee Researcher
By next week, we will have a preliminary outline of what we think the report on this current study should look like. We will have it distributed ahead of the meeting on the sixth so that you can come forward with changes, discussion and elements we might have missed. We can use that as our structure to write the report and come back with it after the meeting.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I do have one question, because this all seems to be changing at a rapid pace. I understand we have two witnesses who still wish to come and present on the Status of the Artist Act—CRA and Finance. When is that going to be?
Yes, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk
I believe on Monday we have the Department of Canadian Heritage for the first hour, and in the second hour, it will possibly be the Department of Finance—I'm waiting on an answer from them—the CRA, and an independent tax expert from Quebec who was proposed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
If that happens on April 6.... This is the kind of thing I think we need to talk about. I thought we were going to finish up the recommendations and conclusions from the COVID report on April 6, because we still have to finish that and give the analysts the chance to draft an amended report based on what we're saying.
We have April 6. We can do fully all of the CRA, Finance and the department with regard to the Status of the Artist Act. In that case, we're going to have to find time on April 8 to deal with the conclusions and recommendations, because we have yet to deal with that.
I would like to get some sense from the committee about how we want to square this very difficult circle.
We have two meetings before the break. One of those is going to be filled with witnesses, on April 6, or we can do the recommendations for the report on April 6.
The Clerk
Dr. Fry, I'm afraid I spoke in error. The witnesses are coming on Monday, April 4. We have two panels of witnesses currently scheduled on Monday, April 4, unless that's changing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
All right, thank you. I've been getting this message about what I thought we were going to be doing.
On April 6, we will be doing the report on COVID. On April 4, we will be getting the panel of witnesses to finish off the Status of the Artist Act.
Is the committee now clear as mud on this one? Good.
It would seem to me that with the promise of Mr. Julian and Mr. Champoux, when we get to the recommendations and conclusions of the COVID report on April 6, we would move swiftly to deal with that. Then we can have the break for the analysts to sort of tidy up our amendments, etc. and bring us back a new report to quickly okay. Then we'll move on.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
My longest speech in committee has been 16 hours, and I'm committing to not do that this time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much, Peter. I am thrilled that we're not going to get filibustering from you. Martin has also promised that. You are men of honour and men of your word, so therefore we will be able to get a lot of the work done before the two weeks. There may not be a need to have a subcommittee meeting during the two weeks off.
Okay, then that's a promise.
It's my understanding that on April 4 we're going to listen to the witnesses to end up the Status of the Artist Act, which will be CRA, Finance and the department. On April 6, we will go to the committee report, ending up with looking at the recommendations and conclusions of the COVID report. If we do that really quickly and effectively, we may have some time to delve into some sort of instructions for Gabrielle and Marion on the Shaw-Rogers thing.
Marion, it would be really nice if all the members could get a copy of the CRTC report, please. It may have us ready for that Shaw-Rogers report that will come up, hopefully at the end of the day on the sixth.
Is that a good plan? Does everyone feel we can accomplish that?
You already have the Shaw-Rogers in front of you. I want to remind everyone that these reports we now have are still confidential until they're tabled in the House.
Hearing no dissent, that looks like the schedule we're going to come up with before we break. Unless somebody has something else to add, I would entertain a motion to adjourn.
