Madam Chair, I thought it would be difficult to reject an amendment like this one. Indeed, it is obvious to me that this accessibility should be a given. Considering the progress of technology over the years, no one can say that it is not accessible or that we do not have the means to offer this service to the clients who need it.
In fact, I wonder why it says “whenever possible” in the amendment proposed by our Conservative friends, when it should be an obligation. Offering these services should indeed be mandatory.
No matter how the wording turns out at the end of the discussion, I think we need to make sure that it is mandatory. Any undertaking that claims to be serious enough to be in the broadcasting business in Canada must, at the very least, provide that accessibility to the people who need it.
I personally want to support this amendment, but I do want to make sure that the final wording is as strong as possible.