Mr. Speaker, on July 29 the government announced a new measure which will regulate the supply of advertising services directed at Canadian consumers by foreign publishers of magazines. The legislation will soon be tabled in the house. Without this measure foreign publishers would enjoy significant advantages over Canadian publishers.
Advertising revenues are essential in order to be able to produce stories, commentaries and ideas that reflect our values, heritage and opinions, which constitute a line of communication at the heart of our culture and identity as Canadians.
The new measure does not restrict in any way the access of Canadians to foreign periodicals. Canada is and will remain one of the most open countries in the world in terms of foreign publications. At present, more than 80% of periodicals sold in Canadian newsstands are published abroad.
This new measure—