Canadian Heritage Committee on Sept. 24th, 2025

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you.

Ms. Mondou, I would like to return to the issue of Google and the $100 million that is being used to support the information industry and news media.

Is that working well? Once the committee has reviewed the regulations and they have been implemented by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, are news companies benefiting from them? Are there any negative or constructive comments for the future regarding this amount that will be paid annually?

[Isabelle Mondou]

During the first year, we had to choose an organization to manage the distribution of funds. Of course, there were some hiccups at the beginning and all sorts of questions arose, as people had different interpretations of who was considered a journalist. So we had to make a few adjustments in the first few months, which I think is perfectly normal. However, at present, the people we talk to tell us that things are going very well and that this has helped to resolve issues that had remained unresolved during implementation. What we are hearing now is that things are going rather well.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

The committee plans to meet with Ms. Eatrides in the coming weeks, but I have a question, out of curiosity, since we are talking about the CRTC.

The CRTC has a lot of work to do, particularly as a result of this committee’s work, and more specifically the study of bills C‑11 and C‑18. There are probably other regulations that need to be reviewed, particularly those governing the broadcasting sector. I know that the CRTC has been overwhelmed in recent years.

Is the CRTC’s slow pace in achieving results hindering the work of the Department of Canadian Heritage? Is it preventing you from moving forward with initiatives that could help the sector?

[Isabelle Mondou]

Under the policy established by Bill C‑11, the minister had asked the CRTC to issue decisions within two years. Obviously, since the CRTC is an independent body, the minister cannot compel it to do so. The CRTC will not meet the two-year deadline, but it is moving much faster than it has in the past. A lot of important work will be done during this period.

You can ask the chair of the CRTC, but as you know, hearings are currently under way. Decisions will be made following the hearings held in the spring. For a quasi-judicial tribunal, the CRTC is therefore moving very quickly.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

This was discussed earlier, but I would like to quickly ask you one last question about the directive from the Minister of Finance and National Revenue to reduce spending by 15% across all departments.

Has the minister asked you to look at where you can achieve savings? If so, should people, organizations and cultural businesses that rely on Canadian Heritage grants be concerned at this time?

[Isabelle Mondou]

All departments have been subject to a 15% budget reduction, with the exception of three departments and agencies, namely the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Department of National Defence, which are subject to a slightly lower percentage. We must therefore all comply with this exercise.

That being said, we are reviewing not only programs, but also jobs in the public service. This exercise affects our programs and the way we operate, and is aimed at achieving efficiency.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

So programs are not excluded.

[Isabelle Mondou]

Programs are not excluded.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

You will also have to look at programs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux. That concludes your speaking time.

Next we go to Mrs. Thomas for five minutes.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

My question is this: When it comes to the formation of the budget, obviously the finance minister is the one who completes that process and brings it all together, but I would imagine it's up to each department to put forward requests in terms of how they would like their funding allocated.

Am I correct in that?

[Isabelle Mondou]

You are absolutely correct.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

The heritage department, then, has put forward to the finance minister its priorities and where it would like its allocation of dollars put.

[Isabelle Mondou]

That's correct.

We always have to do it within certain instructions. The Minister of Finance gives instructions about what he expects, so we have to respect that. Sometimes they limit the number of demands or they limit the way we should be doing it.

Yes, the minister presents his request to the Minister of Finance.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Are you able to confirm with us today the status of that request for the RCMP Heritage Centre?

Was it requested that it would continue to be funded to the full amount that it currently is?

[Isabelle Mondou]

Unfortunately, I'm not able to do that for one reason: It's a cabinet confidence. The conversation that happened around the budget is like a conversation at cabinet. It is a cabinet confidence, so I'm not in a position to reveal what the minister proposed.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Okay. You're not able to talk about any of the priorities that were set, in terms of how many are allocated for this budget?

[Isabelle Mondou]

I can talk about the priority of government, but I cannot attach it to what was specifically requested for the budget exercise.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

One of the changes that has happened, of course, is that the minister's title has changed. Now it includes Canadian culture. I would imagine, then, that the department should have a definition of that, so that it knows the end it's working toward or the goal that it's looking to achieve.

What is the working definition of “Canadian culture” in the department?

[Isabelle Mondou]

It's interesting. I probably won't get it perfectly right from memory, but our departmental report defines our mandate, and it includes culture and it also includes diversity and inclusion. It also includes heritage, official language and sport. All of these things are defined in our mandate. A better definition than what I can give is actually in our departmental report.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

The phrase “Canadian culture” is defined, then, for the department?

[Isabelle Mondou]

It's defined in terms of what our mandate is to support culture, but it's not a definition like you will find, for example, for the purpose of taxation, where you give some money to some organization because it produces certain kinds of content. It's different from that.

It's defined more in terms of mandate, like supporting culture, industry and things like that.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Can that definition be made public? Can it be shared with this committee?

[Isabelle Mondou]

Absolutely. The departmental report describes what the department's role is in supporting the culture.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Do you mind sending that to us, just so that we can take a look at that?