Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2026

Opposition Motion—Funding of the Cultural Sector

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Madam Speaker, my colleague has already kindly briefed me, in private, on all the government's setbacks in the area of culture as it tries to please Donald Trump. Therefore, I would perhaps invite him to brief the House on all of these setbacks, since it is quite interesting and relevant, after all.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member has the floor for a very brief answer.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am being asked for a brief answer to a question that would take several minutes to address, but I will simply talk about the digital services tax, which could have been used to fund the cultural and broadcasting sectors, as well as the backtracking on the levy of 5% to 15%. These concessions were made during negotiations with Donald Trump. What did we get in return? Nothing, period. Nothing. This is a somewhat awkward position for the government to be in now, saying that it will not reinstate the levy after having removed it to appease someone who never responded favourably to our request.

I could go on, but I do not have enough time.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, QC]

Madam Speaker, what does my colleague make of the Liberal government's position on the digital services tax? First, it opposed the tax. Then it supported it. Now it opposes it once again. In any business or economic endeavour, it is important to have a clear sense of direction. What impact does this sort of Liberal flip-flopping have on the cultural sector?

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague very much, and I look forward to hearing his comments on today's motion later on.

We should remember that this tax was originally requested and required to fund the cultural sector and the media, this entire sector where American digital companies swoop in and get rich. In the end, it was not used for that purpose at all; it was used for something else entirely. It went into the consolidated revenue fund instead of serving the sectors that had been hit hard by those companies entering the market.

Yes, as my colleague said, this kind of flip-flopping and back-and-forth is absolutely pointless. In the end, the tax was repealed. We are depriving ourselves of billions of dollars that could give some serious breathing room to our cultural sector, as well as other sectors.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is always a bit intimidating to follow my esteemed colleague from Drummond, who enlightens us with his knowledge. We know that he is very passionate about the issue before us today, and that came through in his remarks.

I will begin my speech with an analogy to explain the subject we are discussing today.

Imagine a charming little village somewhere with several public parks that are the envy of many of the villagers in the surrounding areas. People gather there to play with their children. One day, a business from a neighbouring town decides that there might be some money to be made. It decides to organize festivals and parties in the small neighbouring village's parks and it charges people to attend. This all happens little by little. People buy tickets and come have a good time. The business then leaves and continues paying municipal taxes in the other town.

One day, the municipal councillors in the small village with the beautiful parks realize that they are paying to maintain these parks, which are deteriorating faster because they are being used for festivals. They then decide to bring a resolution before the municipal council proposing that a portion of the cost of maintaining the parks be charged to the company using them to make money. That makes perfect sense, so the village passes the resolution.

One day, the mayor of the village stands up and says that he has veto power and that he is going to use it. He wants to maintain a good relationship with the mayor of the neighbouring town, so to avoid offending him, he is repealing the levy that his municipal council had imposed on the company from the other town. However, since the parks do still need to be maintained, he decides to raise taxes in his own village and make the folks there pay for maintaining the parks.

I believe that if this were ever to happen in any village, there would probably be a public outcry, and with good reason. That is precisely the situation we are facing today, because the government has decided to overturn an order of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, imposing levies on web giants such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ that are making money in our territory without supporting the local cultural community that is suffering as a result of their actions.

It is important to protect content creators in Quebec and across Canada, but especially in Quebec, because Quebec culture is not just another commercial product. As we know, French is a minority language in North America, and our way of compensating for our demographic reality is by making our culture vibrant and resilient. It is important to support it. By supporting content creators, we allow them tell our stories, and their voices will fall silent if we do not support them. If their voices are silenced, we will be left hearing only the stories of others, rather than the stories that have shaped who we are.

I sincerely believe that our government colleagues share our views on the importance of protecting culture. If we asked them whether it is important to protect culture, I am sure that they would say yes and that they would mean it. That is not the issue. The issue is that they do not have the courage to make decisions that will actually protect culture. I am not trying to impute motives today. I am simply saying that they do not have the political courage needed to stand up to the United States and the web giants.

There are two parts to our request today. First, the government must give the cultural industry the $600 million that it was promised and that has still not been paid out. The government is saying that the money is coming, but the clock is ticking. Since the government decided to abolish the levy of 5%, which was supposed to increase to 15%, the cultural industry has been left without support. This is urgent. As I was saying, there are really two parts to our request because that $600 million is not a lasting solution. We cannot truly ensure the survival of the cultural industry with money taken from taxpayers' pockets and doled out by a government that could change at any time. The tariff crisis has reminded us of how important stability and predictability are for all industries, and that is especially true for the cultural industry.

Moving forward, what we are asking the government to do is to respect the CRTC's decision. The CRTC is an organization with its own governance structure and its own expertise. The CRTC holds public hearings and consultations. Citizens, businesses, artists, associations and community groups all participate. The CRTC knows what it is doing when it makes a decision, and the decision to raise the levy from 5% to 15% was based on concrete evidence. Ultimately, what we are asking the government to do is to respect its own law, which gives the CRTC full discretion to require the web giants to pay whatever amount it deems appropriate.

What we hear in response is the completely misleading argument that the money collected from the tech giants would ultimately end up being passed on to taxpayers. When the government takes $600 million to partially offset this loss of revenue, where does that money come from? The government does not have any money of its own. Its money comes from taxpayers' pockets. Ultimately, it passes the bill on to taxpayers and, what is more, it also passes it on to people who may have chosen not to subscribe to Netflix, Amazon or Disney because they want to support Quebec's cultural sector. It passes this bill on to them to avoid making the American giants pay.

The Liberals argue that this cost would simply be passed on to consumers, but it is worth noting that the European experience has already shown that that is not the case.

There are a number of other factors that can contribute to higher subscriber fees, but I would like to quote an expert from the École des médias at the Université du Québec à Montréal on the issue of affordability. Professor Catalina Briceño has stated that the affordability argument raised by the Minister of Culture is misleading too. A private company can always justify a price increase on a wide range of grounds, including rising costs, shareholder expectations for profitability, required investments or other considerations. Unless Ottawa has secured an explicit commitment from these companies, which we would certainly like to see, there is no guarantee that subscriber fees will not increase in the short or medium term. The Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions has also pointed out that the experience of other countries, particularly in Europe, contradicts that argument.

In other words, the amount consumers pay to companies like Amazon could still increase, even in the absence of government-imposed levies.

As I mentioned, predictability is also important. Systematic levies on web giants would bring in billions of dollars in revenue, a far cry from the $600 million that the government is promising. What is more, this revenue would be ongoing and would not be subject to any dubious political discussions, as could happen with a future change of government.

Ultimately, all this will serve absolutely no purpose. My colleague from Drummond mentioned the government's backtracking on the digital services tax. This was done on the sidelines of the G7 summit in the hope of encouraging the U.S. government to refrain from adding tariffs and perhaps to come back to the negotiating table. However, it has been over a year and a half, and we see where things stand today.

Did it change anything? The answer is absolutely not. In fact, it is probably perceived as a sign of weakness that the U.S. government can focus on, and there has been one step backward after another. It was all for nothing. The key thing to remember is that, for the web giants, Quebec and Canada are just a market and a way to make money. However, for the cultural community, the people of Quebec and Canada are channels through which they keep their stories, their endeavours and their culture alive. This is a reflection of the soul of our cultural agents.

If the government cannot muster the courage to correct the inequity between the web giants and our content creators, unfortunately, a part of what we are and who we are is doomed to disappear. That is why the discussion we are having today in the House is so important.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I agree with the member that culture is what gives us our identity. I look across our great nation, and I see the uniqueness of the province of Quebec and all sorts of wonderful things in other jurisdictions. I think of our francophone communities in Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg and in St-Pierre-Jolys in rural Manitoba, which are a part of the very fabric of our society.

Over the years, we have seen significant federal investments to support our culture and our heritage. We have a minister who is very proactive on the file. The good news is, as the Minister of Finance would say, we have a budget coming up on November 5. I am sure it will reinforce the importance of culture for all of Canada. In particular, it will single out the province of Quebec and our French language, which every Canadian, I would suggest, is proud of.

I would ask the member for her thoughts on the importance of a federal budget.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I mentioned it in my speech. Our request is twofold. Yes, we are asking that the investments promised by the federal government be delivered. If they are included in a budget, and if the federal government makes additional investments, all the better.

What we are saying, however, is that it will never replace the share that should be paid by the web giants, which pillage the market and give nothing in return. The government is selling us out for cheap without even collecting on the deal. That is what is shameful.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, why does my colleague think that the Liberals' promises to support Quebec's cultural sector never translate into concrete results?

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for making an effort to speak in the language of Molière. I grant that French is not an easy language.

It is a very broad question that may go beyond today's topic, but it is still related to it. Unfortunately, we know the Liberals have a history of broken and unfulfilled promises, as my colleague, the member for Drummond, mentioned. We have been waiting for the $600 million they promised for the cultural sector for months.

It is also very much the government's style to break with tradition, even though that tradition has, in fact, been typical of the Liberals on a number of issues, like the environment. After all, the current Prime Minister is the former UN special envoy on climate action and finance. What we are seeing in Bill C‑39 when it comes to protecting the environment is nothing more than broken promises and shattered illusions.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is my turn to thank my colleague from Saint-Jean for her excellent speech and for her passion. I believe the House can see that that passion is shared by all Bloc members when we talk about culture and the French language.

The government has decided to step in for the digital giants, which were supposed to pay out $600 million in compensation. In my colleague's view, what message does this send to the other sectors of the Quebec and Canadian economies that are struggling with the impact of tariffs? Businesses are looking to the government for support in the face of the tariff threat that constantly hangs over their heads. Meanwhile, there was already a funding mechanism for the cultural sector that made sense to everyone. The government is capable of coming up with $600 million. What must the other sectors of the economy be thinking when they see this money appear, just like that?

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, a lot of people must be thinking that it is time something was done for them as well. Earlier on, we were talking about the long-standing softwood lumber crisis, which started long before the tariff crisis and for which we submitted proposals to the government. Furthermore, if the government gave businesses an advance to offset the countervailing duties and give them some breathing room, it would be a zero-cost measure, since we know that international trade tribunals will eventually hand down a decision and the government will be able to pay itself back out of the proceeds. These proposals would help our sectors and cost nothing in the end. However, we are having a hard time getting so much as an acknowledgement of receipt from the government.

I think that a number of sectors must be justifiably disappointed by some of the government's actions.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Madam Speaker, culture is very important. What is also important is keeping one's promise, and the government has a record of not keeping its promises. In 2021, it pledged $500 million for provinces to help fight forest fires, and it has failed to do that—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The member for Saint‑Jean has the floor to give a very brief answer.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I have a very simple answer.

The digital services tax was scrapped in exchange for an end to the tariff war. We are still waiting for that war to end.

[David Myles, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages and to the Secretary of State (Nature)]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to provide an update on the major commitments our government has recently made to support our creators, our media and our cultural businesses and to secure their future in a rapidly changing environment.

Our government was elected a little over a year ago with a clear commitment to stand up for who we are and what sets us apart. Our culture is at the very heart of who we are. It allows us to tell our own stories in our own way and in our own languages. Here in Canada, we are proud to have artists, creators and innovators pushing the boundaries of art. Our artists embody our culture and showcase it here and around the world.

We have a duty to protect this culture. Behind the issues of funding and regulation that we are debating, there are people working, companies taking risks, and communities that want to continue to see themselves reflected on screen and hear their stories told in the media.

There is a screenwriter developing a show, a producer securing funding for a shoot, a songwriter writing her next track. There are also technicians waiting for their next contract and a radio station trying to hang onto its local news team. These people contribute to our economy. They also help us get to know each other better, discover other realities, and share the experiences that bring us closer together. A song can transcend generations. A TV show can help us learn what life is like in another community. A news report can spark a much-needed discussion. These shared moments strengthen our sense of belonging and contribute to social cohesion.

However, the cultural sector is facing significant challenges that are undermining its business models and its ability to create, produce and reach audiences. As an artist, I am familiar with these difficulties.

We recognize the financial pressures facing the industry. Simply acknowledging the importance of our culture is not enough. We must take action. That is what we are doing.

With more than $770 million announced in budget 2025, we are investing in our media, our artists, our audiovisual sector, our festivals and our celebrations. The Bloc Québécois voted against that budget. It voted against $150 million for CBC/Radio-Canada, funding meant to strengthen its mandate to serve the public and to better reflect the needs of Canadians in both French and English. It voted against $150 million for Telefilm Canada. It voted against $125.5 million for the Canada Media Fund. It voted against $48 million for the Canada Music Fund. It voted against $95 million for the creative export strategy, which helps thousands of Canadian businesses and cultural organizations reach new international markets and has helped generate over $466 million in export revenue and secure hundreds of trade agreements.

Our government knows how important it is to ensure that Canada has a strong, resilient creative economy. We understand the importance of showcasing our stories and talent beyond our borders. We understand the importance of fostering Canadian creativity. We understand the importance of investing in our greatest asset, which is who we are and the people who bring our culture to life.

Our audio and audiovisual sectors bring Canada prestige and help strengthen our economy. In 2024, the audiovisual and interactive media sector contributed over $20 billion to Canada's GDP, or nearly 30% of culture GDP. This sector alone accounts for over 172,000 jobs.

Sound recording and music publishing generated over $542 million in GDP and accounted for approximately 5,500 jobs, which is a lot.

When a production starts, it creates jobs for film crews, performers, editors and visual effects specialists. It also makes work for workshops, transportation services, hotels and restaurants. In music, recording involves writers, composers, performers, directors and technicians. Publishers, record companies and partners then work to publicize the music so that it finds an audience.

There have been tangible success stories from across the country. In 2026, The Girl Who Cried Pearls, a short created by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski and produced by the National Film Board, won the Oscar for best animated short film. This success followed on the heels of Matthew Rankin's triumph in Cannes in 2024, when his film Universal Language won the Directors' Fortnight audience award.

Francophone talent also shines in the music field. In 2024, Charlotte Cardin won the Félix Artist of the Year award in the international category. That same year, Yannick Nézet‑Séguin and his collaborators won the Grammy for best opera recording for Champion.

We want to see more success stories like these because Canada has the world-class talent and innovators that the world is looking for. When our creators succeed, all of Canada succeeds. Beyond the numbers and markets, it is these success stories, our creativity and our identity that we are known for abroad.

Our media also contribute every day through the connections they maintain with the people they serve. A radio station can be a familiar presence in a region. It introduces listeners to artists, follows local issues and gives community members a voice. Local media help us understand decisions that affect our region or municipality. Journalism therefore plays an essential role in our democracy. It allows us to debate issues based on verified facts, better understand the challenges facing our society and make informed choices.

At a time when false information spreads quickly, we need journalists who check the facts, cross-check sources and put events into context. This reporting creates a shared space for discussion. It helps people with different opinions better understand the issues they are being asked to consider. Supporting independent, rigorous journalism means preserving our ability to make informed choices and participate fully in democratic life.

Journalism also makes an important contribution to our economy and the vitality of our communities. In 2024, newspapers alone generated more than $1.1 billion in GDP and supported nearly 13,000 jobs. Journalism also continues to inform Canadians through radio, television and digital media.

However, the importance of these activities does not shield them from difficulties. Market shifts are changing audience habits and the distribution of revenue. Over the past few years, traditional broadcasting revenue has declined overall, while revenue from online services has increased. For production companies, funding decisions are becoming more difficult. For workers, this may mean more time between contracts and more income uncertainty. For a local media outlet, this can jeopardize its ability to keep a team on the ground.

These pressures also have long-term consequences. These skills are developed through participation in projects. Teams become stronger through experience. When this continuity is compromised, it becomes harder and harder to retain talent and prepare the next generation. A lot of time goes into a TV show, documentary or album before it reaches the public. Decisions made today determine, in part, what we are able to watch and listen to down the road. Timely and substantial funding is therefore essential.

This is why our government announced an investment of $600 million to provide stability and support to the audio and audiovisual sectors. This significant investment will provide the stability and long-term support our cultural sector needs to thrive, while ensuring that Canadian culture remains accessible to Canadians.

This funding is part of a broader reflection of the contribution of all stakeholders to the Canadian broadcasting system. Online streaming services have become an important part of our daily lives. We recognize the importance of their equitable contributions, like those of other stakeholders, to the creation and promotion of Canadian content. That is why the Online Streaming Act was passed in 2023. We needed to modernize our system and incorporate online businesses. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the CRTC, then set out to clarify the major online services' obligations through mechanisms adapted to audio and audiovisual content.

Unfortunately, the Online Streaming Act did not produce the desired results. The contributions that were supposed to support our cultural sector have never been paid, as they have been stuck in litigation for years. The CRTC's initial contribution model did not provide the necessary support for our cultural industries, either in Quebec or elsewhere in the country. We had to be pragmatic and come up with a new approach. Our government therefore announced its intention to review certain requirements and develop new guidelines. We want the act to be implemented in a way that keeps services affordable, preserves consumer choice and provides businesses with flexibility while maintaining strong support for Canadian content.

Beyond these investments, we are also exploring how to modernize the institutions and funding mechanisms that support our audiovisual sector. Our government announced this intention in January at Prime Time and again in April at the Association québécoise de la production médiatique conference, along with the launch of an advisory panel on audiovisual modernization.

This is a unique opportunity to modernize our audiovisual sector, strengthen our industry and consolidate Canada's position as a world leader in audiovisual excellence. We are working in partnership with the industry, drawing on the expertise of an advisory committee made up of industry leaders to develop ambitious, innovative solutions that respond to the sector's needs and help it thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of innovation and skills. Workers and businesses need opportunities to experiment, pursue training and build their expertise as AI and other technologies evolve. These opportunities must reach communities across the country and groups that face greater barriers.

I will conclude by speaking about our two official languages, particularly French, which is at the core of our identity and a source of pride. French-language productions operate in a unique market, whether the production in question is a TV show or a song. Our francophone creators must be able to produce their works and reach their audiences, both in Quebec and elsewhere in the country. Indigenous creators must be able to share their stories and keep their languages alive. Official language minority communities need to be able to see themselves reflected in the content that they watch and listen to. It is this conviction that led Canada to become one of the founding members of UNESCO's 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. When our media and cultural works reflect this diversity, they help us better understand the country that we share. They allow everyone to feel that their experiences have a place in our collective life.

Our government is committed to supporting a strong, dynamic and viable cultural sector where creators and businesses can thrive in the digital age. We must take into account the financial pressures facing the sector and the financial realities of households while also preserving the ability to tell our stories and to understand our own reality.

Canada is home to internationally recognized talent and considerable expertise. We want to provide them with the conditions that they need to continue creating and connecting with audiences. By supporting these sectors, we are investing in our economy, our democracy and the ties that bind us together.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Madam Speaker, I was almost moved by the first part of my colleague's speech. It was a litany of good intentions. It shows his knowledge—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

We are having trouble hearing. We will try again. The microphones were on, but we could not hear.

Is the interpretation working? I am told it is.

The hon. member for Montcalm may start from the top.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Madam Speaker, as I was saying, I was almost moved by the first part of my colleague's speech, by the litany of good intentions. I thought he would come to the same conclusion as us, but that is not the case. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to hear from someone who is aware of this issue.

By the way, when it comes to the CRTC's decision to impose a levy on the web giants, the online streamers, the government initially said it would take a pragmatic approach. Given that the government had to negotiate with the Americans and did not want to upset them too much, it decided that instead of imposing a levy, it would provide $600 million in funding, although this money has not yet reached its intended recipients. Affordability was also cited as a reason.

The government's current logic is that it should make the public pay so that the public does not have to pay. That is the logic behind the Liberals' decision not to make the web giants pay.

How does that make sense?

[David Myles, Liberal, Fredericton—Oromocto, NB]

Madam Speaker, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: How are we going to support artists and the cultural industry? We agree that this is very important.

It is also important to note that the CRTC's decisions had not been implemented. They were stalled because there were too many lawsuits. We therefore decided to give the industry this $600 million in support because it was needed at that time.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. He is obviously very articulate in both official languages, which is good for all Canadians, especially here in the House of Commons.

Today we are talking about the digital services tax. The member is well aware that his government scrapped that tax in June 2025, claiming that it was doing so to help the negotiations with the United States.

Sixteen months later, can the member tell us how the negotiations with the United States are going? At first glance, there has been no progress at all, absolutely none.

The government scrapped a tax that helped it get elected. It scrapped the tax, but absolutely nothing changed.

[David Myles, Liberal, Fredericton—Oromocto, NB]

Madam Speaker, I love speaking or trying to speak in French whenever I have the opportunity.

It is important to note that we are looking for a new policy direction. We agree that digital platforms must contribute to cultural production in Canada. It is not that the tax has been abolished, but we are going to take some time to find a new policy direction, because the tax was not working.

We are also going to provide immediate support to the cultural industry, which needs it right now.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to point out that, in his speech, my colleague mentioned the animated short film The Girl Who Cried Pearls. I would like to note that one of the screenwriters who worked on the French adaptation is from the township of Lingwick in Compton—Stanstead. We are very proud of her. In fact, the short film was screened this summer with the co-screenwriter in attendance. It was very interesting.

My colleague mentioned the importance of local media. I would him to tell us what our government is doing to support local media at a time when there is a great deal of misinformation.

[David Myles, Liberal, Fredericton—Oromocto, NB]

Madam Speaker, I believe this issue affects us all.

What I find interesting, from a journalism and cultural perspective, is that we have creators and journalists all across Canada. We need to find ways to support them across the country. That is why we included historic investments in budget 2025. Additional investments are also planned for budget 2026, which will be tabled in the coming weeks.

[Marilyn Gladu, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, our government has implemented several measures to support Quebec's cultural sector, including in budget 2025.

Can my colleague tell us about the measures that have been put in place to support Quebec's cultural sector?