Evidence of meeting #34 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 cpac.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
If you don't mind, I'll get back to my question. I don't have much time.
Did you ask the government for a specific amount of money?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
Yes. We asked for $8 million for infrastructure and $5 million a year for three years for operating expenses. This amounts to $15 million.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
Okay.
Are you currently receiving public funding?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
We receive it for specific projects.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
What type of projects?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
We received funding for a special program on the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court. We'll also receive $150,000 to produce two documentaries on the restoration of the Centre Block. We also expect to receive a small amount as bridge financing for—
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
Okay. That answers my question. I want to get to my point as quickly as possible.
I consider CPAC a public good, meaning a necessity for Canadian democracy. If your current funding comes only from cable companies, which are declining and will continue to do so, then obviously we need to find another solution to ensure that Canadians can access their democracy. This democracy is mainly here in Ottawa. You must be able to report on the conventions of each political party in a neutral manner, as you said earlier. In my opinion, this is fundamental. I believe that the country must have an independent body that promotes Canadian democracy.
You spoke about $5 million a year for three years, as well as $8 million to renew your equipment. You said that your current budget is $13 million. You're asking for substantial amounts of money.
Since we know that your revenue will continue to decline, do you think that the Government of Canada should fund 100% of CPAC's activities?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
The model is changing. We're at an inflection point. The government should take responsibility. For example, the funding could come from a combination of cable companies, multimedia broadcasters and the government. Each party could contribute one third of the funding to ensure the survival of this independent channel.
So, I would say yes, in part.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
Radio‑Canada is receiving $7 million from the journalism fund created by Bill C‑11. Are you also receiving a portion of this funding?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
In terms of funds created by Bill C‑18, we received $359,000 for the first year and $405,000 for the second year. So, again, we're receiving fairly small amounts.
Liberal
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses.
I would also like to welcome our two new members, Ms. Hirtle and Ms. Auguste.
First, I would like to comment briefly on Mr. Al Soud's remarks. I wanted to echo his thoughts. He read my mind and spoke for me.
We're talking about the state of the journalism and media sectors in Canada. As a government, or as elected officials, we shouldn't try to interfere with the content discussed in newsrooms. You, the media, have the ethical and intellectual capacity to decide what you feature and what news you broadcast on your various media platforms.
I could complain that we don't talk enough about Haiti, Sudan, Chad or South Africa, which went through apartheid. However, that isn't why we're here. We're here to find out what you—Mr. Desjardins, Mr. Epstein, Mr. Thiessen, Mr. Rooke and Ms. Dickenson—think about the current state of the journalism and media sectors in Canada.
I'll start with you, Ms. Dickenson.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
They're tremendously weakened. We need to invest in everything from local news, to CPAC's independence, to radio. We really need to get back to the drawing board.
Liberal
Chief Executive Officer, Tafsik Organization
It's important to have all realms of positions. Having one very left-leaning organization—the CBC, to the tune of over $1 billion—and no right-leaning news organization is causing a lot of problems for Canadians.
It's about having representation for both the left and the right to start, and as you said, making sure there is ethical journalism being done, because it's been lost in this country—at least for some of these news outlets.
Liberal
President, Canadian Association of Broadcasters
We often talk about the need to keep journalists in newsrooms. The greater the number of journalists, the greater the number of voices, insights and opportunities for editorial mentoring. This is more likely to happen in newsrooms. I'm not saying that journalism can't take place outside newsrooms. However, in our opinion, by keeping more journalists in the newsrooms, we'll be able to answer many questions.
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Mr. Rooke and Mr. Thiessen, the digital transition has made it possible for Canadian content to reach new audiences both at home and abroad. At the same time, it has had a major impact on economic models.
How do you strike a better balance when it comes to digital innovation, the discoverability of Canadian content and the financial sustainability of the media?
Let's start with you, Mr. Rooke.
Executive Director, National Campus and Community Radio Association
A lot of our stations are in the process of doing that or are doing that naturally, because they are organizations that aren't held to somebody else looking for something from them. Often it's shareholder value or information from above, speaking to this or that.
Our network will go out and do the learning and the education to provide those opportunities for the community to share their mind. That's a really important portion of the entire process, and it helps with the entire ecosphere of the Canadian media sector, which tends to lie in its own way. The further we pull apart from what is truly Canadian and how we operate within the room or on the streets.... I think it's really important that the entire ecosphere have the supports that it needs in order to do that work.
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Mr. Thiessen, would you like to comment on this?
Vice-President, Miracle Channel Association
I'll state, as we're talking about journalism and making sure that there is balance within the system, that newsrooms need to literally put their code of ethics, their journalism standards, in their newsroom and then evaluate those every week and make sure that they are at the forefront. Make sure that—
Liberal
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Sorry. I was talking about the digital transition. How do you strike a better balance when it comes to digital innovation, the discoverability of Canadian content and the financial sustainability of the media? That's my question.
Vice-President, Miracle Channel Association
I'm sorry. My earphones weren't working properly.
Vice-President, Miracle Channel Association
If I understand, it's digital innovation.
That's one of the great democratic systems that we have now, as it allows smaller stations to do so much more with that new technology. Barry and his community stations and organizations like ours don't have huge budgets, but we do so much more and get to so many more people because of the innovation and the opportunity we have to take our message and get it out further than ever before.
Even though it's a difficult time and a lot of investment is needed in creating and taking advantage of that innovation, it allows smaller players to take the message out to our communities in a much better way. It's a very important time for us.
