Mr. Speaker, I am proud to participate in the third reading debate of Bill C-509.
I would like to thank my hon. colleague, the member for Brandon—Souris, for his numerous introductions of this bill and his commitment to the cause.
I commend my colleague for putting forward a valuable modernization of the Canada Post Corporation Act. I also want to thank the member for accepting my amendments in committee.
As my party's crown corporations critic, I continue to support this bill because it is good government policy, and I have suggested that my caucus do the same.
My party does support greater service for, and more affordable access to, library materials for Canadians in rural and remote areas, seniors, new Canadians and those with disabilities. We support a reduced postal rate for all library materials and we support the new definition of library materials to include all forms of modern media.
I participated in the debate at the committee stage of the bill. We amended the definition of library materials in clause 1 to include a more comprehensive list of new modern media, books, magazines, records, CDs, CD-ROMs, audio cassettes, video cassettes, DVDs and other audiovisual materials.
This is a valuable expansion of the definition and takes into account the current reality of choices among consumers both young and old. It leaves the door open for the quickly changing and ever-evolving modern media environment.
Also, in clause 3, we required Canada Post Corporation to come before Parliament to request an increase in the library rate.
Finally, through my amendment, the committee added in section 21.2 a review of the definition of library materials to be considered at least every 10 years to keep the legislation and the always varying list of new media as current as possible.
This bill and its amendments will protect the library rate for many years to come.
Canada Post offers libraries, both public and university, a reduced rate to move books not only back and forth across the province, but the country as well. Bill C-509 will put this discounted postal rate into legislation and keep it there. The original intent was to allow libraries to feel confident they were not going to wake up one morning without any consultation and find that the rates had either been increased to full retail or to some other amount.
Canadians rely on the book rate for transferring materials across the country. Libraries have become dependent on the book rate. It allows them to transfer materials around the country.
It is imperative that our libraries continue to be well stocked. There was a concern that larger metropolitan libraries would stockpile or hoard some of the more modern media that is available without the ability to transfer them affordably. The bill will assist in a very cost-effective way of transferring these materials and hopefully put a stop to the stockpiling.
On maintaining the library book rate, the Canadian Library Association, CLA, lends its full support to the bill, and rightly so. It explained that over 2,000 libraries across Canada rely on the library book rate for transferring materials back and forth. Canadians from coast to coast to coast, especially students, new citizens, the disabled and those living in rural and remote communities, are able to take full advantage of the system.
Quite simply, the fact that libraries can share hard copy materials with one another at an affordable rate allows people to obtain information on a regular basis.
As we know, information is king, knowledge is eternal and we in the Liberal Party stand for lifelong learning. By implementing Bill C-509, libraries would be able to ship all forms of modern media across the country at a reduced postal rate.
As the CLA pointed out, it is imperative that we retain the preferred library book rate for many reasons. Without a sustainable library book rate, the CLA stated the following concerns:
First, it would create a two-tiered service for Canadians: simply those who could afford to borrow materials and those who cannot.
Second, material would be difficult to obtain if it is not regularly transferred between libraries. This would make things very difficult for the elderly, students, the disabled and rural residents.
Third, it would put added pressure on libraries to recoup costs and remain viable due to a lower supply and ultimately fewer visitors.
Fourth, it would strain smaller libraries. Their ability to loan would be in jeopardy due to a lower supply and would lead to diminished lending.
As the member for Brandon—Souris pointed out in his speech back in May, the library book rate has been in existence since 1939. Libraries have become dependent on the rate and it has allowed them to transfer material affordably across the country. Although Canada Post has kept the rates at reasonable levels throughout the years, it has periodically increased them in order to keep up with inflation and other economic factors. Bill C-509 would put an end to that.
The bill addresses the concern that Canada Post could ad hoc increase the library rate by requiring it to obtain a mandate from Parliament prior to doing so. We achieved this in clause 3 as amended in committee.
By expanding the definition of which materials can be sent at a reduced postal rate, we are better serving Canadians from coast to coast to coast and especially in remote and rural communities. I am in full agreement that as technology advances, Canadians have a desire to keep up with the trends and the need for advanced information as it grows. It is imperative that our libraries are well stocked with modern media and that they share it with as many libraries as possible. Without such measures, there is a growing concern of stockpiling material and not sharing it with the smaller rural libraries. They simply could not afford to transfer the material and smaller libraries would definitely suffer as a result.
In this modern day of Internet, speedy file transfers, email, social media and large broadband, it is refreshing to know that I can still walk into a library and borrow a tangible item like a book, a newspaper, a music CD, a movie, a DVD and even an e-book. I know that the residents of Mississauga—Streetsville feel the same way. For this reason and for those that I have raised earlier, we have a responsibility in this place to maintain this fundamental right for all Canadians.
Once again, my colleague from Brandon—Souris has my full support. I will be voting in favour of Bill C-509. I encourage my caucus members to do the same and I encourage all members to follow suit.