Canadian Heritage Committee on Feb. 12th, 2026

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon South, SK]

I didn't get that feeling, Andrew. I got the feeling that the study was done: “We can't find it. We've decided that the art is gone. We're washing our hands, and we're moving on.” That was the report that I saw. They can't find the art. They don't know where it is. They don't really care anymore, and they're moving on from it. That was my interpretation, but we'll move on from this.

I was wondering what the department will do in the future so that this doesn't happen again, because it was an embarrassment. I put up a Facebook post on it, and I didn't think I'd get any reaction. I was shocked, because the value of indigenous art, as I said in the statement here months ago, has gone through the roof. If someone is going to donate or give us a piece and we lose it, I feel for the family and for the artist. I was awestruck by the department saying, “I'm sorry. It's only worth under $49,000. We're not really going to worry about this, and we're moving on.”

Anyway, I'm going to move on with my questioning. I have only another minute here.

Minister, what are your thoughts on the job cuts at the two museums, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum? They took a big bullet here, both of them. They slashed their workforce by 18% and 24%. Those are pretty big reductions for the two museums. Why?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

As with any government agency, the civil service is going through a rationalization process as well, headed by central agencies, related to the reduction of the workforce in particular, and to cost savings. These are decisions that were taken. I make no excuses for them, but they are part of this process.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon South, SK]

In the supplementary estimates, I see that over $11 million is going to.... You've added some money to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the National Gallery of Canada. You're taking away from the two museums that I mentioned, and now, in the supplementary estimates, you've come around and said, “Here's more money.” Can you explain those two?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Look, you can do two things at once. In any restructuring, you have cuts in one area and investments in others.

No one would propose to cut the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre, where we put $11 million into your riding, as part of this simply to satisfy an arithmetic calculation. I think that's a cultural centre that was super important to your riding. I don't think you would propose to cut it simply because it was a number.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you.

Ms. Royer, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Zoe Royer, Liberal, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

I'm really delighted, Minister Miller, that you are in the role, and I'm looking forward to hearing about the great things that the department is going to be doing.

In my riding of Port Moody—Coquitlam, community and ethnic television such as the Tri-Cities Community Television, Parvaz TV and Korean television through Omni Television are vital local voices. They survive mainly because of grassroots volunteer-driven efforts stepping in when traditional systems have pulled back. They really rely on the large broadcasters to decide whether they are carried at all and how much support they receive.

How concerned are you about their sustainability? What role can the federal government play in making sure that this system is more accessible for them?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

These organizations, like many around the country, are struggling for a variety of reasons. They struggle generally because a lot of them are grassroots. Some are even just shoestring operations that get out amazing information into the community, often cultural communities that are looking for that information because they want to hear about issues that they care about, and they want to see themselves in the journalism and the journalists who provide that information. It is of concern to me that they can survive and thrive.

Again, this is a context where the federal government can't always do everything, but we must do something. There are a couple of elements that I think would be important for you to note and for the organizations that serve the members of Port Moody—Coquitlam so faithfully. The changing narratives fund is a $10-million investment over three years that supports diverse voices in Canadian media, those of indigenous, Black, racialized and ethno-religious minorities, to share stories and experiences, so there's eligibility there. That's part of the Canada Media Fund that supports diverse communities generally as well.

In addition, there are a number of streams, including the local journalism initiative, which supports communities through press, radio and community television. It's not delivered by me, but by a not-for-profit organization, so that it does what people are concerned about, protecting the independence of the press. I don't have discretion over it, so to speak, and that contributes, for example, to the news and hiring diverse journalists.

[Zoe Royer, Liberal, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you for that answer.

I also want to speak a little bit about Freshet News. It's a new publication in our community. We lost the much respected, deeply trusted Tri-City News. They were in operation for many years in our community. They closed their doors, their print media and their digital media just ahead of the election. The journalists, who had 20 or 30 years of experience, recreated Freshet News, but they are also facing many challenges. That's not a question; I just wanted to give a bit of a shout-out.

CPAC is essential to parliamentary transparency, and—

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

I'm sorry, but I have to interrupt, Ms. Royer. I think we have a problem with interpretation.

We just need to suspend for a couple of minutes while we resolve that problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you, everyone.

We're back to Ms. Royer, who has another couple of minutes left.

[Zoe Royer, Liberal, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

CPAC is essential to parliamentary transparency. While viewership is strong, registered wholesale subscriber fees have not kept pace with rising costs, which limits its ability to modernize aging broadcasting infrastructure.

How is your department thinking about long-term sustainability for public-interest broadcasters like the much relied-upon CPAC? Can you talk about the access to Parliament? Can you make sure that access to parliamentary democracy keeps pace with how Canadians actually consume our media?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Royer.

I think the work CPAC does is indispensable, because it covers stuff that even the most ardent journalists and outlets don't cover. Some of it is like watching paint dry, but I think it is important.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Much like my answer, currently.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

We're on CPAC right now.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

We're doing a couple of things. We are waiting for a CRTC decision that would create a sequence of waterfall events that would see CPAC get the proper support, which it deserves. That is important.

In the meantime, we've invested and we're bridging them in a number of ways, including a recent investment of about $5 million over the next three years for CPAC to continue. I will not hide from you that this is not all they want, but those are ongoing discussions in order to make sure that we are supporting the proper broadcast of all parliamentary activities.

[Zoe Royer, Liberal, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I'm really glad that you're having those discussions. Thank you, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

All right.

Mr. Champoux, you may go ahead for two and a half minutes.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you.

Minister, independent television stations that provide news coverage, in regions mainly, have reached out to us a lot regarding the independent local news fund, or ILNF.

I'm not sure whether you are aware, but last year, in June I believe, the CRTC approved Corus's application to receive ILNF funding. The CRTC determined that Corus was eligible because of its Global TV stations. The decision to add Corus to the list of eligible recipients was entirely appropriate. Since becoming a beneficiary, Corus is receiving a big chunk of the fund, to the detriment of the other beneficiaries, who are all smaller players, regional players that cover regions such as Abitibi. RNC Média comes to mind, as does CHAU in eastern Quebec. CHAU broadcasts TVA but is an independent station.

Those stations urgently need that funding to survive and keep their newsrooms open. The problem is that the fund was supposed to grow with the contributions of the digital companies. As we know, time is dragging on, the effort is being stalled and nothing is happening. Meanwhile, stations are in jeopardy of closing. The association that represents them is calling on the government for some support. I believe they're asking for $3 million or $3.5 million a month, until the money from the digital platforms starts coming in to make up the shortfall. It's a matter of survival. It's a matter of urgency for regional news and regional television stations.

Is your government going to do something soon to save them?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

That's a good question, Mr. Champoux. Again, I don't have a perfect answer for you.

As you explained so clearly, we are waiting for the funds from the digital platforms. With Corus becoming part of the group, there is obviously less to go around. We're keeping an eye on the situation. I'm not insensitive to the problem, far from it, but I don't have a solution for you this morning.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

We have a solution. It is straightforward and wouldn't cost too much while we wait. Basically, they're running out of time; this is urgent. The answer can't be that you're going to look into it and get back to them with an answer in a few weeks. Some stations are on the verge of closing because they don't have enough money. This support would save them.

Regional news coverage, which has already been undermined by the digital platforms, is in trouble—real trouble. It's not the only problem, but it's one that's pretty easy to fix quickly, until the money from the digital platforms starts flowing into the fund. I think you could put the pedal to the metal and convince your Minister of Finance to make a bit of funding available.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

As you well know, he's full of energy.

In short, we are working on it. As you pointed out, it involves more than just my department. There are a number of avenues, but we don't have a resolution yet.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you.

It's now over to Mr. Généreux for five minutes.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for being here, Minister.

I agree with my fellow member. Just about everyone is concerned. When you talk about social cohesion, national social cohesion is important. Regional social cohesion is also very important. Small regional TV and radio stations and newspapers need help right now. They are suffering greatly. Many of them are literally dying. The proposed solution, potentially….

Bills C‑11 and C‑18 didn't deliver the results promised. Let's be clear. Under the agreement signed with Google, the company is required to contribute $100 million, to be distributed among all the news organizations. Of that, $7 million goes to CBC/Radio-Canada, on top of the $120 million you gave CBC/Radio-Canada in your last budget. Why is that $7 million still going to CBC/Radio-Canada?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

The reason is simply that it's entitled to the money, like the other news organizations.