Evidence of meeting #48 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 crtc.
A video is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Brian Myles, of Le Devoir, has raised a concern about linguistic duality. Do you think we should…
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry, Martin; your time is up. Thank you.
I will now go to Peter Julian for the NDP. Peter, you have six minutes, please.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thanks very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister Rodriguez, for being here with us today.
I want to come back to Minister Hussen's testimony on October 7, when he appeared before this committee. He said that he was aware of Mr. Marouf's vicious and “vile” anti-Semitic comments on July 19.
When did you become aware of those comments?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry. I'm going to stop proceedings and suspend the clock for a minute while we deal with the feedback.
I would like to reiterate that those in the room should shut off their mikes if they are not speaking, because we do get feedback. We couldn't hear the minister's answer.
Let's try this again.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
To answer your question, Mr. Julian, it was when it came out in the media.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Minister Rodriguez, I appreciate your answer, but Minister Hussen testified that “When this issue was raised, I want to assure...that we immediately asked the Department of Canadian Heritage to confirm the organization's project funding details and to inform us on the procedural next steps.”
Are you telling us, then, that all of this took place in your ministry without your being aware of it?
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Minister Hussen is totally responsible for this program. It's not a shared responsibility. For example, my colleague Pascale is in charge of sports within Canadian Heritage. She's solely responsible for that.
In this case, yes, Minister Hussen is in charge of this, and he's the one working; I know that he's bringing some changes, and I'm looking forward to them. I'm supporting him in that.
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
At no point were you informed between July 19 and August 22, even though Minister Hussen was consulting with the department, looking at procedural next steps and confirming the organization's project funding details. Is that correct?
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
My next question, of course, is pretty obvious.
What has the Department of Canadian Heritage done to ensure that there will never be funding again to any organizations that are vehicles of hate, whether we're talking about anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism or misogyny?
What steps have you taken as minister to ensure that the Department of Canadian Heritage no longer funds anyone involved in those activities?
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I'm going to turn to Madame Mondou. She was there the last time to answer those questions when the committee was filibustering and the public servants did not have the chance to answer the question.
Today she's here. She'll be able to answer.
Isabelle Mondou Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
Thank you, Madame Chair.
It was actually my colleague Mala, the associate, who was there, but I'm happy to answer the question.
Essentially, what we have done since August is review all the processes. Obviously, a stop has been made to the payment and we're looking to recoup the money that was given to this organization.
In addition, Minister Hussen has ordered a review of all the programs, so no funds are going to go out to organizations until we have put new measures in place.
In addition, to your point, we have made sure, across the programs of Canadian Heritage, that this organization is never going to receive funds from us with Mr. Marouf being part of it.
I can talk in more detail to the additional measures we're putting in place, if you want.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
My simple, final question is this: Are you now vetting all social media feeds of all recipients of Canadian Heritage funding?
That is for the minister.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I've asked my department, based on what happened in that program, which is under Minister Hussen at the department, to make sure that we looked at everything and that these things don't happen within the part of the department I'm responsible for.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Minister Rodriguez, we've heard testimony that the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association are all are very supportive of Bill C-18, but all of them raise concerns about many small community newspapers and community radio being excluded.
Are you open to amendments that ensure that the vast level of community media across the country is actually included in the supports that come from Bill C-18?
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Julian, I've known you since 2004. I'm always ready to discuss and I am open to suggestions.
As you know, the criteria are there, but as I said in my speech, Bill C-18 is not a silver bullet. There are many other programs that are there to support local journalism and small media, and they can apply to them.
We actually increased the funding recently for some of those programs. A lot of them, especially in the western part of the country, are benefiting from those programs.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Has the department done an evaluation of what it would mean in terms of supports if the threshold was lowered from two journalists to one journalist or even to a journalist owner-operator?
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Have you done any evaluation of what difference possible amendments could make for community media and community radio across the country?