Evidence of meeting #1 for Canadian Heritage in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
No, I don't see it. Thank you for letting me know.
Mr. Waugh, please go ahead.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon South, SK
Thank you, Madam Chair, and congratulations on your appointment here today.
I'm just throwing this out there. I'm referring to Mrs. Thomas's motion. We may actually meet in July or August; we don't know that. I suggest the new committee members read over the report as soon as possible. You just never know when this committee will reconvene. Yes, we're back in September, but there may be an opportunity in July or August to get together, and then we can move Mrs. Thomas's motion at that time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Yes, as we said, we'll put it on the agenda for the next meeting of this committee, whenever that might be.
Mrs. Thomas, I believe, is next.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I do have a second motion to move. I move:
That, given that committee members, staff, the clerk, analysts and witnesses worked hard to produce the report entitled “Harms Caused by Illegal Sexually Explicit Material Online” during the first session of the 44th Parliament, and given that the government did not table a response because of the prorogation of Parliament, the committee deem that it has undertaken and completed a study on “Harms Caused by Illegal Sexually Explicit Material Online” pursuant to Standing Order 108, and that it adopt that report as a report from this committee; pursuant to Standing Order 109, that the committee request the government to table a comprehensive response to the report; that supplementary or dissenting reports that accompanied the report in the previous session of Parliament be tabled with the main report; and that the Chair present the report to the House.
This is similar. A report was drafted in the last Parliament. Unfortunately, due to prorogation, it was not tabled, although all of the pieces were in place for that to be done. It is just simply the final step that needs to be completed.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
The same logic applies, Madam Chair.
The committee worked very hard and managed to draft a number of reports in the last session of Parliament. I commend the analysts for the exceptional job they did. Still, I think it would be a good refresher for everyone—not just new members of Parliament, but also new members of the heritage committee—to review the reports. I think it would be helpful to allow some time for us to reread the reports. Again, the work was done rigorously and seriously, and the reports deserve to be tabled in the House, so I agree.
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I see that Mrs. Thomas is proposing motions one by one, and I'd like to understand everything. This committee is new for all members who are here for the first time. It would be great if she could tell us how many motions she plans to put forward so that we can read them and discuss them at the next meeting, as Mr. Champoux said.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I completely understand what my fellow member is asking. I, too, am inclined to ask Mrs. Thomas to bundle all the motions she wants to propose along the same lines, those calling on the committee to adopt reports on studies. However, it is her prerogative to propose motions one by one, if she so wishes. Unanimous consent cannot be sought to force her or any other committee member to proceed in a particular way. If a member had a number of similar motions to propose, all of which would obviously produce the same outcome, it would be nice for the member to do it all in one shot. However, committee members are under no obligation to change how they do things.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Is everybody in agreement that we hold all of the motions until our next meeting to give new members time to go over the material?
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
I have a third motion that I wish to move. I move:
That, given that committee members, staff, the clerk, analysts and witnesses worked hard to produce the report entitled “Tech Giants’ Intimidation and Subversion Tactics to Evade Regulation in Canada and Globally” during the first session of the 44th Parliament, and given that the government did not table a response because of the prorogation of Parliament, the committee deem that it has undertaken and completed a study on “Tech Giants’ Intimidation and Subversion Tactics to Evade Regulation in Canada and Globally” pursuant to Standing Order 108, and that it adopt that report as a report from this committee; pursuant to Standing Order 109, that the committee request the government to table a comprehensive response to the report; that supplementary or dissenting reports that accompanied the report in the previous session of Parliament be tabled with the main report; and that the Chair present the report to the House.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
In accordance with the other motions that this committee has agreed to put off until the next meeting, could we all agree to put this motion off until the next meeting as well?
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
Chair, if you wouldn't mind just clarifying something. It was asked that I send out the package before the meeting, but I believe, according to the routine motions we just passed, that's the duty of the clerk, at the will of the chair. Should I submit or should any of us submit motions for consideration, my understanding is that we send them to the clerk. Then, at the will of the chair, the clerk sends them out to the committee, in both French and English.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
I believe the standard is to give committee members some time. Motions are distributed to committee members and the committee in advance of the meeting so that it's not a surprise when we arrive here and we know what we're voting on and how we feel about the motions.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Chair, I don't know that my question is being answered here.
According to the routine motions, it is not customary that we ourselves send our motions to all the members of the committee, but rather that we send them to the clerk. The clerk then processes them, makes sure they're in both French and English, and then, at the will of the chair, sends them to the committee members.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
That is correct. Thank you for the clarification.
Go ahead, Mrs. Thomas.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you. I do wish to move a final motion. I move:
Given that the 45th session of Parliament has just begun, and Canadian identity and culture is at a crucial moment, pursuant to Standing Order 108, the committee invite the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture to testify before the committee for no less than two hours and the department officials for one hour, no later than September 26, 2025.
I have this motion available both in French and English for my colleagues to consider at this time.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Madam Chair, it is completely normal for a minister, at the beginning of a new Parliament or session of Parliament, or after being newly appointed, to appear before the committee charged with examining matters related to their department. I am therefore in favour of inviting Minister Guilbeault.
Obviously, the appearance will happen in the fall, but I think it's important to set a deadline, so the minister can arrange his schedule. We all know how the unforeseen can affect a minister's schedule, but I don't think the minister will shirk his duty. I think he will come at the first opportunity. The motion states that the appearance should take place no later than September 26. I think that's pretty reasonable given that the House starts sitting again on September 15, if I'm not mistaken. That should give the minister a chance to plan accordingly.