Evidence of meeting #88 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was resdac.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief, La Liberté
It would be through tax credits.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
5:25 p.m.
President and Publisher, Le Droit, Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d’information au Québec
It is normal for a boy aged 20 to 25 not to read the newspaper. Since I'm 62—so I'm older than you—I can tell you that reading the newspaper was not so common at the time. People start a family, have kids, pay taxes and buy a house, but no matter if they read our publications on their tablet, on their computer or on paper, the important thing is that they read them. Of course, the situation will have to progress on the advertising side. The prices will have to change, but in fact, Facebook is changing its own. At the moment, this company sabotages everything we do by setting prices that we can't compete with, but it's still changing prices as well. So it will cost more to place advertising on Facebook. We'll end up being similar.
Currently, in Quebec, 80% of commercial enterprises do not have a transactional site. On their sites, we can see clothes, bicycles, and so on, but we can't make transactions. We, the newspapers, will offer this opportunity. At some point, we will overcome the obstacles and become profitable again, because we will have adapted our business to our customers who are now using their tablet or phone. We will be there too.
In New Zealand, for example, a media group uses e-commerce to the tune of $1 million every day. These people receive 3% or 4% of sales and use these funds to provide information. This is the exact same recipe we used before.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Boucher.
We'll now move on to Mr. Arseneault.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Mr. Noreau and Ms. Gaulin.
I don't need to tell you how much I admire you. I'm from the Acadian community; I read L'Acadie Nouvelle every morning. It's my daily Bible. In fact, I sometimes send my colleagues articles that affect our community.
Since we are short on time, I won't be able to ask all my questions. That's why I'd first like you to write a kind of mini-brief, concise—I don't want something 15 pages long; if it can fit on one page, that would be perfect—something that specifies how we can help you. You talked about tax credits. That's one way, but there are others, including the famous Canada periodical fund, which I didn't know about. Tell me what means, be it advertising or something else, can affect all of our media, regardless of whether it is in a majority or minority community.
Mr. Noreau, you also referred in your presentation to a provision of Part VII of the Official Languages Act.
How should the federal government help you while respecting its obligations under Part VII of the act?
The support would be at two levels, namely for the media in general and for media in a minority setting. If you could provide us with this document, it could help us a lot.
5:30 p.m.
President and Publisher, Le Droit, Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d’information au Québec
I have already given the clerk documents that are not translated, unfortunately. So they aren't acceptable to the committee. In addition, a document I gave you listed solutions that we believe are the most promising. Also, you can find—I'll send you the document electronically, so you can share it—a list of studies that have been done in which other measures are specifically identified. You will then have a very wide choice of possibilities.
I have the privilege of working with Francis Sonier, the publisher of L'Acadie Nouvelle and president of the Association de la presse francophone, who subscribes to the measures mentioned in these studies. Also, you have received the brief of the Association de la presse francophone.
There's plenty to meet your expectations, but if there's anything missing, I will leave you my contact information, and you can call me.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I just want to make sure we understand each other. If we are to communicate with the Minister or report to her, I want to make sure I know which solutions fall solely under Part VII of the Official Languages Act.
There is also a general solution that involves all media.
5:30 p.m.
Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief, La Liberté
Let me answer this question quickly. In my opinion, Part VII of the Official Languages Act demonstrates that the decline in advertising has a direct impact on the vitality of official language minority communities. It's very simple, and it's in the document I submitted to the clerk. You can get copies.
In 2008, we printed 40 pages a week. In 2017, we printed 27. This means that there are more than 600 pages fewer per year, more than 600 articles we aren't able to publish. That means we can't focus on the rural area, we need to have some restrictions and cutbacks. We also can't sponsor non-profit organizations, people who organize dance tournaments, card tournaments, and who can't afford to advertise to attract people.
I submitted my presentation which contains emergency solutions and solutions to perpetuate original Canadian content. Part VII of the Official Languages Act is directly related to the number of pages and the way a newspaper operates. In a newspaper, it's very simple. Two advertising pages produce two pages of content. Four pages of advertising produce four pages of content. When the government pulls 10 pages of advertising from our newspaper, there are 10 fewer pages of content. The calculation is very clear.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
This concludes our meeting today.
On behalf of all the committee members, I would like to thank you very much. You have enlightened us a lot. As I understand the comments of the other members of the committee, we will try to offer you as much help as possible.
5:30 p.m.
President and Publisher, Le Droit, Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d’information au Québec
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your welcome and your questions. We are available if there is anything else.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you, Mr. Noreau and Ms. Gaulin.
We are adjourning until Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
I am told that the clerk will have the documents translated. You will all receive them.
(Meeting adjourned)
