Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2026

Opposition Motion—Funding of the Cultural Sector

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

Mr. Speaker, when the member makes reference to the $600 million, that is a new commitment over and above another half a billion dollars that is out there to support our culture. That would include in excess of well over $100 million for Radio-Canada, for example. I will provide more details on that when I get the opportunity to address the House. I think it is important that we recognize that the $600 million is an interim solution until we are able to come up with a more permanent solution. I plan to expand on that when I get the opportunity to speak.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are so looking forward to hearing the parliamentary secretary's speech. What he just reiterated to the House, and the message he is sending to the media and culture sector, is that they were deprived of $7 billion over five years with the repeal of the digital services tax, that the CRTC's levies, which would have brought in more than $2 billion, have been cancelled, and that this is being replaced by a nice little $600 million that will come out of their own pockets.

[Dalwinder Gill, Conservative, Calgary McKnight, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister promised $600 million in immediate support, yet more than four months later the sector is still waiting. Does the member agree that a government running such a massive deficit should at least be able to deliver the funding it promised?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is indeed one of our requests. Can they at least pay the money they promised? In short, we do agree.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, anything can be debated in the House. Today, we are debating the issue of the digital services levy. We asked questions about this during oral question period. This week, when my colleague, the member for Drummond, asked the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture a question, the minister stood up and literally asked my colleague why he was whining when the minister had funded the poutine festival in his riding. When we brought up our cultural industry, his response was that he had funded the poutine festival and that we should stop whining. I have nothing against poutine, but when a minister speaks to us in that tone and gives us answers like that, what does that tell us about the government's commitment to francophone culture and Quebec culture?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is short and simple. The word he is looking for is “contempt”.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is also important to recognize that the global streaming services have international impacts. Canada is not alone. It is important as we move forward that we get it right. In the interim, while we work on that plan, we will provide that interim support over and above that $500 million, which equates to well over a billion dollars over the coming years. Would the member agree that is a positive thing?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if the parliamentary secretary really meant what he just said, which is that we need to move forward, not backward, then he would not have backed down on the digital services tax. The $600 million is a very small amount of compensation. I would like my colleague to look at what is happening internationally, elsewhere in the world. How did the Europeans find a way to put a tax on digital products without causing subscription prices to go up? These multi-billion dollar corporations are paying their fair share to fund culture and media in those regions. Why is Canada unable to achieve the same result here?

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be brief.

There are major events and festivals. Over the weekend, we were told that we needed to stop complaining and that festivals were being funded. However, we are still getting messages from organizers of major events and various cultural organizations. We in the Bloc Québécois are not the only ones complaining. So too are the organizations on the ground, which need more money. What does my colleague have to say to them?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague very much.

That is the reality on the ground. Some ministers respond to us in a contemptuous tone like that. We have talked about the poutine remark, but we could have talked about how we apparently spend most of our time sitting on our rear ends and just come here to collect our pensions. I think we could get rid of the contempt and work constructively. We need the money for our local organizations. Let us talk and work together.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of things to say about the opposition's motion. First and foremost, I will not be voting in favour of the motion because I believe it is at conflict with what the government is attempting to do. It is important to recognize that at the outset.

I also want to recognize at the beginning that, in terms of global streaming services, it is not a question of if but how we ensure contributions go to our cultural sector. It is not a question of if. It is how it is going to be done. I go back to the last federal election. I can assure the member opposite that we had candidates all over the nation, with a focus on candidates in the province of Quebec, talking about culture, affordability and many other issues, the primary one being Canadian sovereignty.

When we think of Canadian sovereignty, we have to think about our culture as it is part of our identity. When we talk about negotiations, there is the French factor, if I may put it that way, in the culture and heritage we have today, which is a major aspect in all things we do. As a collaborative federal government, we continue to work at ways to build a stronger economy and society. It is one of Canada's greatest strengths, which I talk a lot about, both inside and outside the chamber. It is something all of us should be very proud of. I love the fact that many people I represent, including young people and children, can speak not one, not two, but three languages. I think of a child graduating from Stanley Knowles School who is able to speak Tagalog, English and French. Many members of our Punjabi heritage community can speak Punjabi, English and French. The amount of French being spoken in Manitoba has never been as high as it is today.

I am very proud of the culture in Manitoba's heritage and what we have to offer especially on the French language aspect. If we drive through St. Boniface in Winnipeg, we will find a very strong and healthy francophone community or if we drive in rural Manitoba, areas like St-Pierre-Jolys. Manitoba is not alone. I have a niece in Alberta who is not only fluent in French and English but is one of the strongest advocates for the French language in Alberta. This is something in which we all have a sense of pride.

The Province of Quebec is leading the way in protecting and ensuring Canada continues to grow in its diversity, incorporating French and recognizing the importance of our arts and culture. When we talk about global streaming services, they are not just impacting Canada. They are impacting countries around the world.

We attempted to deal with it, but as we have seen, it has not been doing what the government expected of it. Our current Prime Minister is determined to ensure that our cultural communities are receiving the funds necessary to protect that industry.

That industry is present throughout our nation. In many ways, it is led by the province of Quebec, but it is present throughout the nation. If I reflect on the province of Manitoba, I have often had the opportunity to talk about Folklorama. Whether it is through the Métis pavilions, pavilions from Europe or pavilions from Asia, from all over the world, Winnipeg and Manitoba get to showcase their diversity. That diversity is cherished by a vast majority of Canadians, and we want to see it grow.

We want to see Canadian faces on TV, on YouTube and on Facebook. We have the artists. We have the actors and actresses, the technicians and the people who pull it together. I think we underestimate not only how that identifies who we are as a nation, but the magnitude of the jobs within that industry. I can tell members who are following this debate that, whether it is the Prime Minister or this government, we recognize it in a very tangible way.

Going out of the election, a number of policy changes took place, and I believe we are on the right track. If I were to give a really good example, I would talk about when the Prime Minister and the government made the decision to get rid of the carbon tax. It was a big issue. I have not had one person in my riding tell me that it was wrong for the Prime Minister to change that policy, not one person.

[An hon. member]

It was just a little late, by 11 years.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

The Prime Minister was elected less than 18 months ago.

Mr. Speaker, if we take a look at the issue we have before us today, even if we factor in the CRTC, we need to recognize what the government is saying. The government is not saying we are going to let global streaming services have whatever they want and go rogue in Canada, far from it. The Prime Minister has been very clear on the issue. When it comes to global streaming services, they will contribute to our cultural sector. That is not at issue. The issue is how we best do that. That means it might take some time, as we work with what other international partners are doing on the issue and see how we can evolve a plan that is going to be effective and is going to ensure that we get that money directly to our culture community.

At the same time, we are investing $600 million to provide support. It is an interim measure, because the long-term goal is to get that plan, and I believe we will get it. We have a budget coming up on November 5, and whether that measure is incorporated into the budget or not, I have absolute faith, based not just on wishful thinking but on the reality of things that have taken place since the last federal election, that it will provide the cultural industry a sense of comfort that the Government of Canada is not going to ignore that industry.

I said in a question that the $600 million would be over and above the other half a billion dollars that was budgeted for in the last federal budget, the first budget of the new government and our new Prime Minister. We can a look at where some of that money is going. I have a few select places that I would like to list off.

There is $192 million in 2025-26 for CBC/Radio-Canada. Whether it is Radio-Canada and the important role it plays in Quebec or it is CBC in general, it is absolutely critical for Canadian sovereignty that we have funding going to that institution. There is no dispute coming from the government on that. The Prime Minister has been very clear on it, even though we get pressure from the Conservative Party, which is threatening and making very clear that if they were in government, they would get rid of it. I would hope that a more progressive-thinking official opposition, understanding the impact that would have, would reverse that position, because Radio-Canada and CBC as a whole play a very important role in our society.

For Telefilm Canada, there is $150 million over three years. We can talk about how Telefilm Canada is helping our arts community. These are just federal dollars that are being provided.

We have the Canada Media Fund. Over a three-year period, there is over $125 million for it. As a government, we are recognizing the value of this institution and why it is so important for us to continue with the funding of it.

For the Canada music fund, there is close to $50 million over the next three years.

We can talk about the National Film Board of Canada, which is getting $26 million over that same period of time. It is truly amazing the data bank of films that the National Film Board of Canada has and the many contributions it has made through that data bank and Canadian films to many of the people it has been able to serve in virtually every different sectors of our arts community and cultural community, whether directly or indirectly.

The Canada Council for the Arts, over that same period of time, will be given $6 million, recognizing the work that it does to protect one of the things that are so critically important.

Our sovereignty is an issue that this government takes very seriously. I know it is on the minds of many, because we hear the comments coming from both the Bloc and the Conservatives. They try to mock us. In a previous speech, someone said “Mr. Canada”, referring to our Prime Minister. I can tell my friends in the Bloc that there is a team Canada approach to building a stronger province of Quebec and a stronger province of Alberta.

In every region of the country, we have seen federal co-operation and collaboration, recognizing that it is the people of Canada who benefit when governments work together. I would challenge members opposite to point to a time when we have seen this much collaboration within the first 18 months of being in government.

[An hon. member]

Well, that would be Harper.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Harper was not even close.

Mr. Speaker, there are many examples I could give on Stephen Harper. The one that comes to my mind right away, because I always advocated for it, is the CPP. In order to enhance people's pensions, we needed to work with the provinces and get an agreement. It was never achieved back then. There are many different examples.

I have been a parliamentarian for over 30 years at the provincial and federal levels. I cannot recall ever seeing a prime minister and stakeholders, along with our premiers, provinces, territories and indigenous leaders, work as a team Canada in trying to deal with the issue of sovereignty.

That takes many forms. As we saw not that long ago, the Prime Minister was talking with the president. It looked like there was the possibility of an agreement, but we were not prepared to bend in regard to some of the things that were coming out, including the issue of French on labels, I believe, but do no quote me on that. There was an important issue there, along with a few others, that ultimately stopped the negotiations from being able to continue.

No matter how long it takes, we are here to work at achieving an agreement, but that agreement has to be achieved in the best interests of Canadians as a whole. That means if it is going to take a while, we will wait a while. While we are waiting, there are actions we can take, and protecting our culture is one of those actions. That is one of the reasons we have seen the types of investments we have had in culture. It is because we recognize that this is part of who we are as a nation.

There are so many things we can be very proud of in the different regions. My family ancestry goes back to the province of Quebec. I am a nationalist first and foremost. I believe in Canada as a nation first. That means that I love my city and I love my province, but I love the province of Quebec too. Quebec and Alberta are both worth standing up for.

When we think of our culture, I want the distinct, unique culture that comes from the province of Quebec not only to be there, but to grow. I believe the Prime Minister and every member of the Liberal caucus wants to see that happen too. We understand the issue of culture. We understand the impact that global streaming services are having. We have and we will come up with a detailed plan because we also believe that global streaming services must contribute. It is not an option to our cultural sector. It is not a question of “if”. It is about “how”, and we will make it happen.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what really bothers me about this issue is that our Liberal friends say one thing but do the opposite. The Prime Minister has said he wants to defend French in the negotiations with the United States, yet he is spending $120 million a year from the official languages budget for Quebec to support English in Quebec, when it is French that is under threat.

The CRTC wanted to require U.S. digital platforms to pay a levy. Instead of enforcing this, however, the Prime Minister is making grand speeches in Europe. Europe requires digital platforms to pay a levy, but here, we just kowtow to them. To support Quebec culture, the culture of the only French-speaking nation in North America, the government will use tax dollars rather than ask U.S. digital platforms to pay their fair share.

What does my colleague think about that?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I would say to my colleague across the way that every member of the Liberal caucus values the uniqueness and the distinct nature of the province of Quebec and how the arts and cultural community makes Quebec the wonderful province it is. As a nationalist, I am very proud of the province of Quebec. I made reference to how it as a province helps identify us as one of the greatest nations in the world to call home.

I also believe that through federal co-operation and collaboration, not only with the Province of Quebec but also with other jurisdictions in Canada, we can do an even better job of not only protecting our French language but also expanding it. It is something all of us should be proud of.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the simple question I would like to ask the hon. parliamentary secretary is this: How many empty promises will it take before the Liberals admit that announcements and press conferences are not the same as results?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member. The Prime Minister promised to get rid of the carbon tax. It is gone. He made a promise to suspend the excise tax on gasoline. It was done. He made a promise to 22 million Canadians to reduce the tax rate. It has been done. He made a commitment to 400,000-plus children in Canada to make the school food program permanent. It has been done. He made promises to look for other markets beyond the Canada-U.S. border. Not only are we continuing to do it, but it has already been done, and we continue to push to get more done.

The problem is that I am going to be limited on the number of things I can say, because of time constraints, but I can assure the member that the government, in the last 18 months, has done a great deal to fulfill its promises to Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy about the parliamentary secretary's passion for culture across the country. For example, on September 15 to 20 next year, the international plowing match is coming to Sarnia—Lambton-Bkejwanong. If anyone has not experienced this kind of agricultural culture, they need to be there.

The question I have for my hon. colleague is this: Can he expound on the many ways in which our government is promoting and supporting culture across the country and in Quebec?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleague because she raises a very important point. Culture and heritage take many different forms. We can talk about our agricultural community and how it is very different from communities in other nations with respect to leading technologies, environmental sensitivity or how the whole family attitude is celebrated in Canada

We need to continue to have a wide spectrum of different types of celebrations, even though today, for me personally, it is a lot more about culture of diversity through ethnicity and language.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite boasts about helping culture by helping Radio-Canada, among others. We have nothing against Radio-Canada. The issue is that, too often, the government's support completely ignores local and community media, which are part of Quebec's cultural and media ecosystems. Not enough is set aside for them. However, they are among the first to pay the price for this injustice. On top of not paying their share, the web giants are also collecting all the advertising revenue, which is hurting local media on the ground. On top of that, there is a double loss. Since there are fewer local media outlets, who is going to talk about culture, about what is happening at home, in Granby, if not the local media? Who is going to talk about what is happening in the Gaspé and Abitibi? Local media plays an essential and important role, but it is being completely ignored by the government.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is really important for us to recognize that Radio-Canada is an absolutely critical institution in dealing with Canadian sovereignty, and there is so much more than just Radio-Canada. There are 44 members of Parliament from the province of Quebec, and I can assure the member opposite that they are a vocal bunch. They understand how important this is.

There are many wonderful things that have come out of Quebec and contributed to the arts throughout the world, not just in Canada. One of my favourite examples is Céline Dion, but there are so many others, such as the late Leonard Cohen, who gave us beautiful music. All sorts of things have come from the province.

Supporting our community newspapers is also very important. Our rural caucus members, in particular those from Quebec, constantly raise the importance of our rural newspapers and making sure we have news agencies. That is one of the reasons I highlighted Radio-Canada as an important institution that supports good news and so many other things, such as community activities.

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we talk a lot about broken promises. I remember it was only about 18 months ago when the member across the way was speaking very passionately about what Bill C-5 would do and how it would accomplish all these big projects. He talked about the promises that were made at that time. Unfortunately, now we are going to also be looking at Bill C-39, because apparently Bill C-5 did not do it. It was another broken promise.

The Prime Minister promised he would have a trade deal with the United States, saying that he was a master, world-class negotiator. We know that has not happened. We have had a lot of broken promises by the Liberals. It reminds me of a farmer in spring after he has his seed in the ground. The member for Sarnia—Lambton was talking about agriculture, which made me think of that. The seed is in the ground, and the farmer sees a cloud on the horizon. He knows there is rain coming, but then the cloud comes and there is no rain. That is how I think a lot of Canadians feel with the broken promises: There is a promise of rain, but nothing comes.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the misinformation that comes out of the House of Commons through political parties never ceases to amaze me.

At the end of the day, Bill C-5 did actually have an impact. The Majors Projects Office is located in Calgary, and a couple of dozen projects have been advanced to it, some of which are well in progress. Think about it from a national perspective.

Think in terms of, let us say, the province of Quebec and the port of Montreal. We can look at the province of Ontario and nuclear energy. We could talk about Saskatchewan's copper mining or Alberta and the pipeline debate and the MOU. In the province of B.C., there is mining and LNG. If we want to talk about the province of Manitoba, we can say that a lot of us are hoping that the Churchill project, though this is not in the Major Projects Office, will get off the ground.