Canadian Heritage Committee on Sept. 24th, 2025

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

My mandate letter is public, as is every minister's.

To borrow your expression, the team and I are working to ensure that we can tick as many boxes as possible as quickly as possible. However, we aren't going to try doing it all in one year. That isn't possible.

We're committed to doing those things during the government's mandate.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Do you—

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux. Your time is up.

Mrs. Thomas, it's over to you for five minutes.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

There's an organization called Cult MTL. It's a self-proclaimed politically left tabloid that exists online, and the heritage department deems it as “journalism”. They've given them a grant to that effect. It was given in 2024-25.

On September 11, the day after Charlie Kirk's assassination, this organization released an article titled “To Hell With Charlie Kirk”. The article makes light of his assassination and then ends with the words, “You reap what you sow.”

I'm an advocate for free speech, so as much as I find these words disgusting, I'll defend their right to say them. However, what I do find indefensible is the fact that Canadian tax dollars were used in order to propagate this type of material.

Do you believe that's wrong as well?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I checked with the deputy minister, and we honestly weren't aware of that.

I promise to look into that with the people at the department, see what was actually printed in the newspaper and send committee members a timely response on the matter.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

If it's found to be correct—and I do have the article here with me, so I could give it to you here today—would you cut the funding to this organization, or would you continue to support this type of thought that is being put out there?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Hate and the spread of hate have no place in public discourse in Canada. In fact, there are laws about that. As I said earlier, we aren't aware of what was printed in that newspaper, but the department and I will make the necessary checks.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Unfortunately, there is another example of such actions that have been taken. It's actually Canada's special representative on combatting Islamophobia, who co-founded an organization called the Anti-Hate Network. They've been funded by your department to the tune of almost $1 million, and a portion of this money was used to hire what they're calling an investigative journalist. What they're asking this person to do is find stories about what they're calling far-right groups and individuals. A part of their definition of those who would fall within this group includes Catholics and people who identify as pro-life. This investigative journalist would go and find stories or write stories and then give them to the mainstream media in order to get the narrative out there further.

As you can imagine, something like this only serves to divide people. It's a grave disservice to the unity of our country and the well-being of our people, and it spurs further polarization. In the beginning, you stated that we need to unite and come together.

When an organization is taking almost $1 million from your government and using it for this end, do you believe they should continue to be funded?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

As I said, our role, certainly as a government, but also as parliamentarians, is to work to unify people, not divide them.

The department and I will look at what has actually been done by that organization. If what you're saying is true, we'll take the necessary measures.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Would the necessary steps be to revoke the tax dollars that are going into an organization like this? I mean, Minister, let's be clear. You're collecting tax dollars from people all across the country, with all sorts of beliefs, from all sorts of backgrounds, and those dollars are being used towards an organization that's actually furthering or spurring greater polarization and arguably hate in this country by choosing to pick on certain groups of people.

Minister, is that type of behaviour excusable? Should we continue to use public dollars for that type of conduct?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

In the past, we've withdrawn funding from organizations that weren't acting in accordance with the federal government's values.

We'll look into this specific case, and if it turns out that the organization doesn't deserve to continue receiving funding from the federal government, the funding will be withdrawn.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Minister, I appreciate that, and I look forward to hearing from you—I hope, on the record—as to your decisions with regard to both of these organizations—Cult MTL and the Anti-Hate Network.

Minister, you did say that you had a welcome meeting with the CEO of the CBC. I'm just curious. To be clear, you did not at all bring up with her the workplace culture at the CBC and the fact that there are significant and numerous complaints with regard to it being toxic in nature. Did that not come up in your meeting with the CEO?

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

I'm sorry, there's no time for that response. You're out of time, Mrs. Thomas. Perhaps you can—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

That's because you gave everyone else an additional 20 to 30 seconds.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

You had an extra 20 to 30 seconds in the first round. Now we're into the second round, and I'm trying to be more cognizant of everybody's time.

We'll go now to Mr. Al Soud.

[Fares Al Soud, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you once again, Minister, for being with us today. I know it means a lot to the members of this committee and to the millions of Canadians tuning in on CPAC right now.

Minister, we often hear about the challenges facing Canada. We heard about polarization just a moment ago, but I think Canadian Heritage is in a unique place to bring people together. I know that's something that we share as a belief. I see this daily in Mississauga Centre.

Can you highlight how the department is using culture, sport and commemoration programs to strengthen national pride, unity and reconciliation at a time when Canadians need that most?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Al Soud. I'm going to take the liberty of speaking to you in French, since you speak it very well.

You're absolutely right, the department and the organizations affiliated with it can play a very important role on issues of pride, unity and even reconciliation.

Not many people know this, but the Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for implementing the Indigenous Languages Act. The Commissioner of Indigenous Languages reports to that department. When I was minister, I passed the legislation to create a national day for truth and reconciliation, which we'll be marking tomorrow.

A number of the department’s programs also play a role in these issues, such as the digital citizen contribution program, which funds projects to combat the effects of disinformation on Canadian communities, including diverse and marginalized communities.

Another example is the role played by the National Film Board of Canada and Telefilm Canada, or the very important role played by national museums and historic sites managed by Parks Canada, which help bring our stories to life.

[Fares Al Soud, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Since there are about two and a half minutes left, I'll share my time with my colleague Mr. Ntumba.

[Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba, Liberal, Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC]

Thank you, Minister.

What do you think are the main successes of the Canada Strong Pass program?

Are you looking at renewing it or expanding it into next year or into the months ahead?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much for your question.

The data we have right now isn't final. We're still compiling it with our partners.

However, Parks Canada has seen a 10% increase in visits so far. National museums have had a 15% average increase in visits, particularly from families with young children. For example, at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, 82% of people who used the Canada Strong Pass were first-time visitors.

The pass program was really an important incentive to discover the richness of Canada. A number of visitors came from outside the province.

Many young people, in particular, also took advantage of the program: 15,000 of them visited the Canadian Museum of History, and 7,000 others visited the Canadian War Museum. At the Canadian Museum of Nature, the number of visitors increased by 19%, and their ages varied between zero and 17.

I was recently with my provincial and territorial minister of culture colleagues in Regina. I can assure you that people from coast to coast to coast applauded our initiative, because the provinces could participate. All but one of the provinces agreed to participate. That meant that provincial museums were also eligible for the program.

There's a strong demand for a similar program next year, so we're going to work with both Canadian Heritage and Parks Canada, as well as all the partners, to try recreating this experience.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lisa Hepfner]

Thank you.

Mr. Champoux, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Minister, I'd like to come back to the increase in funding for CBC/Radio-Canada. You promised to increase its budget by $150 million. In concrete terms, what requirements will you attach to that funding increase? There are clear requests. Some of the suggestions made by your predecessor were, frankly, very interesting.

What conditions will you attach to that funding, if any?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you for your question.

Regarding the $150 million, I'd like to point out that we were very specific in the platform: It's for the first year of the mandate. The team and I are working very hard to deliver on that promise.

I agree with you. The document that Ms. St‑Onge presented at the beginning of the year, in March, was very relevant and is guiding my work on the issue.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Minister, I only have two and a half minutes. Are there conditions attached to the funding or not?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I was getting to that, Mr. Champoux.

We'll definitely be asking for a number of things. Since it's a public broadcaster, we always have to be careful not to go too far in our requests. However, you can certainly expect to see something, for example, on investments in local news across the country. That request comes up often. We'll be announcing good news on that soon.