Official Languages Committee on March 19th, 2018

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Kenny.

Mr. Théberge, I have a question for you, but it can be for anyone.

You talked about a “consistent investment strategy”.

I'm looking at the the 2018-19 budget. How time flies! The election is in one year. The government's strategy is to invest in Canadian content first. The Canada media fund no longer receives as much funding as it used to. Canadians, through their individual choices, use x, y or z platforms, which does not necessarily bring money to those who make access to the services possible.

[Martin Théberge]

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

The Canada media fund is for television production, not journalistic media.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Yes, that's right.

[Martin Théberge]

Television production means soap operas or documentaries, for example.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Are you saying that you are not at all supported by the media fund?

[Martin Théberge]

We are not at all supported.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

To support local journalism, the government is proposing $50 million over five years, starting now, for independent agencies. What do you think? Is that a minimum? Do you welcome it? Is it enough?

How do you see it? What does this amount mean to you?

[Martin Théberge]

I am going to refer to our own news release that basically said that $400 million for the action plan for official languages sounds good, but how will the money be used? The same goes for this. It sounds good, but how will it work?

The money must go directly to community media, whether through an independent agency, as you said, or directly to community radio stations.

Those organizations already exist. For instance, in terms of radio, the Community Radio Fund of Canada already exists. There are three Canadian community radio associations, including the ARC du Canada, for OLMCs. There are associations already well equipped and well aware.

I think we are starting to be on the right track. It's a start, but the money must go directly on the ground, all the way to the media organizations.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

So you would favour an approach that allows for direct cash flow, such as advertising, instead of a dedicated funds approach.

[Martin Théberge]

Yes, advertising might be one way, but it is important to understand the challenge facing the media. Some community radio stations have difficulty paying their telephone and Internet bills, renting space for the antenna tower, and a part-time employee to look after the management.

Choosing project funding in addition to the day-to-day management of community radio is not an appropriate way of resolving the situation. However, if media revenue goes directly to the radio station, and the radio station can do what it wants with it—since it is revenue that it has generated itself, basically—we have an approach that has potential.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you.

We will now go to Mr. Arseneault.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Is that it?

Okay. Thank you.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, everyone. Thank you for being here.

Ms. Scott, thanks for being here with us.

Ms. Kenny, I'm going to come back to my colleague Mr. Clarke's question about the $1.5 million that would help to make up for the 2013 cuts.

[Marie-France Kenny]

It's not just the cuts.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

I want to understand what it is. Please answer quickly, since I have a lot of questions to ask.

[Marie-France Kenny]

It's about access to advertising for all Canadians.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

For all print media and radio?

[Marie-France Kenny]

Yes, for print media and radio, and we are talking about $1.5 million.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

For all the media in a minority setting?

[Marie-France Kenny]

That's what we need just to bring us back to where we were in 2013. I'm not telling you to do more advertising, but to place the ads you have in our media. In this case, we are talking about $1.5 million.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Okay. So, in 2013, the government's advertising in the media, not the funding, was reduced. That's what you are telling us.

[Marie-France Kenny]

No. It was reduced in the media, but the agency in charge of buying advertising was told to go where people clicked the most on the Internet. It goes without saying that we will never reach such a level.

[Martin Théberge]

There were no cuts in the government; the $1.5 million was simply invested elsewhere.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Okay.

[Martin Théberge]

And “elsewhere” does nothing for our communities.