Yes.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 hours.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 hours.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
I call the meeting back to order.
I have Mr. Waugh, Mr. Champoux and then Madame Royer.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon South, SK
I'll let Mr. Champoux go ahead—I may follow up after that—because he had the floor before and was talking about this.
If you don't mind, Chair, I'll give the floor to Mr. Champoux first.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
That's respect, Madam Chair. All jokes aside, I think it was extremely productive to take a small break to discuss all that. I believe we may have a proposal to achieve consensus.
I thank Mr. Waugh for allowing me to continue my intervention.
What I would do is withdraw the amendment I made before we suspended, and replace it with another. I am bothered by the fact that we would reserve an entire meeting for CBC Radio-Canada in a study on journalism and the media sector in Quebec and Canada. However, I think it's important for us to set aside some time and have the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada appear as a witness in this study.
I would reword my amendment slightly to find a way to say that we want the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture to be with us for an entire meeting. I think that's important, because the study falls under his department and his area of responsibility. We can have him testify for two hours. I would also state we want the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada to appear, but without specifying the length of her appearance. We are committing then to inviting her as a witness but not necessarily for an entire meeting. If she came during a meeting with other witnesses, so be it. That can be decided later.
I would simply like to amend the motion to invite the minister for a two-hour meeting, which is appropriate, and I would move we add that Ms. Bouchard, the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada, be simply added to the list of witnesses for this study. Would that wording allow us to reach an agreement?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
I need unanimous consent to accept Martin's request, because he has already put forward a motion. We need unanimous consent to allow him to amend his motion. Are we all good?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Yes, of course.
However, we all had to agree that he could amend the motion he'd already put on the floor.
Liberal
Zoe Royer Liberal Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair and esteemed colleagues of the committee.
I was fully supportive of MP Champoux's original amendment. I see great benefit in inviting others. I don't think that is off the table; perhaps I need a little clarity on this. I see great benefit in inviting CPAC and the Canadian Ethnic Media Association. Pardon me if it's already off the table.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Are you suggesting that we add more names to the motion, or are you content to leave it as it is? You can invite whomever you want as a witness for this study, so it will still work. We don't need to put them in the text. I don't think I can do that, actually.
I have Mr. Ntumba next.
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Champoux, thank you for amending your motion. I understood that as well, meaning that we needed to set aside time for the minister and that the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada should be among those invited to appear, without, however, specifying the length of her appearance.
Like Ms. Royer just did, I will ask the clerk to add the name of the Black Screen Office to the list of witnesses. I have spoken to them. Thank you.
Liberal
David Myles Liberal Fredericton—Oromocto, NB
For me, the only question that remains is this: Since the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada is scheduled to appear before us next week for two hours, will we need to invite her back as part of the new study, along with the minister? It's the same subject, in my opinion.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon South, SK
Thanks, Madam Chair.
I do like this from Mr. Champoux. We've had a number of incidents over the last six months in this country where CBC has gone into areas in Quebec, and, I can tell you, in Alberta—namely, Lloydminster and Medicine Hat—where they've squeezed the traditional media right out. I do think that, since Madame Bouchard has hired.... They've promoted this: “We have reporters in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and all over.” She was here touting that, along with Ms. Tait. It is their game plan to eliminate media in other zones. I will challenge them when they come. They've done a very good job of eliminating a 50-year station in Lloydminster and a 70-year station in Medicine Hat. That was their game plan, to hire reporters.
Madam Chair, you used to be a reporter. They have unlimited resources. I look forward to CBC coming and answering why they hired 30 additional reporters in specific regions where they knew the local media currently there was very vulnerable.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
There are a few former journalists around this table. You can tell we're very passionate about this topic.
I will give the floor to Mr. Champoux, who I believe is a former journalist.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
That sets the stage for Ms. Bouchard's visit. I think two hours with Ms. Bouchard will certainly not be enough to cover everything we need to cover.
I wanted specifically to respond to Mr. Myles's question. Several topics under committee business will relate to CBC Radio-Canada. The appearance by Ms. Bouchard, scheduled for October 8, if it works, will allow us to address a variety of topics. However, when we delve into the study on journalism, for example, that will be a different study, during which we will invite back the CEO of CBC Radio-Canada. What I mean by that is that we won't take advantage of one appearance to talk about both the study we will undertake in three months' time and the events that took place this summer and to which Mr. Waugh is referring. We invite witnesses one study at a time, even if some return rather often. Over the past few years, the committee has become familiar with several faces.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
My only request would be that, perhaps, the clerk could read the motion as amended or just read the amendment before we go to the vote.
The Clerk
I don't have it in writing, but my understanding is that we'll keep “the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and the President and CEO of the CBC/Radio-Canada to testify” and—