Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise to speak to Bill C-64 this morning.
The Reform Party, the official opposition, certainly supports Bill C-64, the Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Act. The bill would in effect make the Government of Canada the underwriters for travelling international exhibitions under the auspices of public institutions up to a maximum of $450 million per show and up to an aggregate of $1.5 billion for any given year.
Before I begin to tell the House why we support Bill C-64, I want to say that this is another good example of Reform's support for legislation put forth by the government. It makes sense and it will ultimately provide better service to all Canadians.
Our record shows that almost half of the time we do support legislation from the government side. We support legislation when it is well thought out, when the people have been consulted and when we know the impact that it will have on the country. This side of the House would support more legislation if the government would be more transparent and take its time when it is putting together its legislation.
I will now tell the House why the official opposition believes Bill C-64 should be supported. By serving as underwriter to the public travelling exhibitions, the government potentially saves taxpayers the cost of paying a premium for private showings. For example, insurance on a recent travelling exhibition valued at $1.5 billion carries a premium of $1 million. Under the current circumstance, how can anyone afford to pay those types of premiums? Without this legislation, the premium is certainly a barrier to museums and other organizations that would like to bring in international and national exhibits and have them circulated throughout the country.
As long as standards of security, care and transportation are maintained at a high level, it seems unlikely that a potential liability would turn into an actual liability. Under a federal United States identification program, with a ceiling of $5 billion, in the last 25 years of operation only two claims were filed totalling $100,000.
I had the opportunity to meet with the Canadian Museum Association this past year to discuss Bill C-64 in-depth. This indemnification program was requested by the museums and by the Canadian Museum Association. They want the bill amended so that the maximum aggregate liability of $1.5 billion in any fiscal year be changed to $1.5 billion at any time.
However, section 53 and 54 of the Constitution Act, 1867 require that supply be specifically proposed by the crown and specifically authorized by the House of Commons. From a constitutional point of view, $1.5 billion at any time is disallowed. There is provision in the subclause for the amount to be raised or lowered by an appropriation act for a given year.
There is no minimum exhibition value set for participation in the indemnification program by the governor in council, but the governor in council is authorized to make regulations for setting a minimum. The government intends to set the minimum at $500,000 in order to maintain standards sufficiently high that losses are highly unlikely. This is a good approach.
It has been mentioned by the parliamentary secretary that there will certainly be a spillover of economic impact from major exhibitions. This could run into the tens of millions of dollars and would have a huge impact on local governments, provincial governments, local chambers and local small business because it would generate economic activity.
People from many miles away will literally flock to these exhibits. This will give the people of this country an opportunity to see world-class exhibits which would otherwise not occur. From that point of view, there are a lot of pluses with Bill C-64. This program will keep costs low. Decisions as to what kind of exhibitions will travel would be left up to the museums.
The Reform Party supports the freedom of Canadian culture in communities to grow and develop without needless protection and government regulation, encouraging a cultural free market which offers choice while lowering costs to consumers as services are provided by those sectors which are able to do so most cost effectively.
The indemnification in Bill C-64 is the kind of program that all governments can do with little cost to the taxpaying public. It brings sufficient economic as well as cultural benefits to the citizens of the country. Therefore, the official opposition supports the bill and also supports all stage consideration by the House on Bill C-64.