Evidence of meeting #58 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 journalists.
A recording is available from Parliament.
2:25 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I agree. I wonder if it wouldn't be legitimate to consider Mr. Housefather's proposal—
2:25 p.m.
NDP
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Could you please hold off for a second while we find out what's going on?
2:25 p.m.
The Clerk
We have translation, Dr. Fry.
2:25 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Okay.
It seems to me that Mr. Housefather's amendment would be worth considering. As Mr. Champoux pointed out, the Conservative Party's amendment CPC‑21 was intended to make an acceptable, if not desirable, change to Bill C‑18, but I too think Mr. Housefather's amendment is clearer, although I have some questions about that.
I'd just like to know when we can consider Mr. Housefather's amendment. It seems relevant to me, given that we're already debating these amendments.
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I don't know whether Mr. Housefather has written his amendment or whether both the legislative clerk and our committee clerk have seen it.
Shall I suspend while we find out about that?
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Madam Chair, you have a copy in your emails. The clerk distributed it about an hour and a half or two hours ago, so everybody does have it.
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
2:25 p.m.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Madam Chair, I think everyone has read Mr. Housefather's amendment.
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Has everyone had a chance to read Mr. Housefather's amendment?
Yes. Everyone's shaking their heads yes, but that would again be dependent on whether or not Mrs. Thomas would agree to withdraw this amendment in favour of Mr. Housefather putting his up. If she doesn't, we will have to therefore vote on this particular amendment and then consider Mr. Housefather's.
Go ahead, Mrs. Thomas.
2:25 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
The intention of bringing forward this amendment, CPC-21, is to make sure that we're contending for eligible news businesses that are here in Canada.
We heard from a number of witnesses that they were concerned that if we allowed for foreign entities to be able to enter into negotiations, they would then be essentially taking away from what was possible for Canadian-headquartered news outlets. We heard from many of them that this change was desired and we're here to advocate on their behalf.
On this language we use in this amendment, it's on clause 27, and changes line 11 on page 10 by saying:
is effectively owned and controlled by Canadians
This phrase, “is effectively owned and controlled by Canadians”, is actually taken from the Broadcasting Act. It is consistent with that.
The next component we're offering, under proposed subparagraph 27(1)(b)(ii.2), goes on to say:
receives no funding from a foreign state as defined in section 30 of the Competition Act, an agent of a foreign state or an entity that is controlled by a foreign state
Our goal there is to make sure outlets in Canada are protected and that we don't have foreign outlets receiving funding by being able to enter into these negotiations and be protected by, or within the confines of, Canadian law. That seems very unfair—
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Mrs. Thomas, the question we're asking is that everyone agrees with the intent of your amendment, but what most people are saying is that the one Mr. Housefather sent is actually clearer. Therefore, my question was, do you want to withdraw this so that we can vote on Mr. Housefather's or do you want us to vote on yours and then go to Mr. Housefather's?
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Housefather's proposal still allows for foreign news entities to receive funding by entering into negotiations protected by Bill C-18. We're just not able to support that, because of course outlets have asked that this not be the case, so no.
2:30 p.m.
Legislative Clerk
I just wanted to point out that Mr. Housefather's amendment is on line 20 on page 10, and there are several other amendments that are in between CPC-21 and Mr. Housefather's.
If Mr. Housefather's amendment were to be considered and adopted, we could not go back to the ones that are before his, unless you have unanimous consent to do so. I just wanted to highlight that for the committee.
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
All right. Thank you very much.
I don't have it in my notes. Where did you say Mr. Housefather's amendment would go in the list of amendments that we have?
2:30 p.m.
Legislative Clerk
Mr. Housefather's amendment goes just before CPC-23, but it addresses line 20 on page 10, and we have CPC-22 that comes before that, and NDP-17, BQ-4, NDP-18, NDP-19 and NDP-19.1 come before that. Since we have to do the bill in the order of the text of the bill—
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Mr. Méla.
What I will do is call the question. Mrs. Thomas was pretty clear.
Go ahead, Clerk.