Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is a very passionate topic. I think that's what we're seeing right now.
This is a very passionate topic and a very important topic because it affects so many Canadians, so many digital-first creators and so many people who are out there making a go of it through new technologies, new means and user-generated content.
I want to be very clear. The one aspect of this bill that I have received the most correspondence on has been this aspect: proposed section 4.2. I will be supporting the amendment brought forward by Mr. Morrice of the Green Party. It's similar to the amendment that will come after it and is sponsored by the Conservative Party.
Unfortunately, given the time, we likely won't get to debate that one, so I'm using this opportunity—and I appreciate Mr. Morrice's bringing this forward and allowing me to speak to it—because this is it. This is, in my view, one of the most important aspects of this bill.
We've heard from people like Oorbee Roy and those who have been able to find success, such as, for example, J.J. McCullough, who my colleague just mentioned, with his exceptional and frankly enjoyable testimony. His video, which was posted afterwards, was a great effort at explaining much of this to us.
When it comes to this aspect, if the minister can be taken at his word—and I want to take the minister at his word—removing proposed section 4.2, removing this aspect of the piece of legislation, will very clearly show to Canadians that users are out and that user-generated content will not be captured by this bill.
Because I'm not going to be able to debate or explain future amendments for Canadians watching at home, and I know that there are tens of people tuning in to ParlVU as we speak and paying attention to clause-by-clause, you'll notice as we go on that we'll be voting on a number of amendments without debate. Some of them will be labelled “CPC”, some “LIB” and some “NDP”, accounting for the different parties.
The Conservative Party was putting forward, I think, meaningful and constructive amendments that would allow this piece of legislation to be approved and would clarify once and for all to Canadians that users are in fact out. That's what the minister committed to, and that's what this amendment and the next Conservative amendment would achieve, a hundred per cent. I know there's controversy around this. I know there are people who will disagree with that aspect, but if we take the minister at his word and if we take the government at its word, this achieves what they've been saying from day one. This achieves what we've set out to achieve.
I don't want to take up too much time, other than putting on the record that we will be making more amendments that would protect users and the content that Canadians post online. It's just unfortunate that in a few minutes we turn into pumpkins and can no longer debate this piece of legislation in the way I think Canadians expect us to.
I've put my comments on the floor. I've put my comments on the record. I just wish I could say more as we go through the amendments.
I will yield my time, Madam Chair.