Sheila Copps

[Publishing Industry, June 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy the member has understood that Canadian content in the law is a big step forward.

The fact is that the regulations accompanying this legislation insist any new magazine that sets up in Canada must have a majority of content for the Canadian market which is only Canadian content.

[Publishing Industry, June 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the regulations specifically preclude rewrites.

[Division No. 536, May 31st, 1999]

moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the third time and passed)

[Division No. 535, May 31st, 1999]

moved that the bill, as amended, be concurred in.

[Publishing Industry, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the member talks about blowing money. Let us look at one area that has been a growth area for the Canadian people, the Canada television fund. In the last two years the Canada television fund has generated $1.2 billion worth of television investment in the country, 2,000 hours of new television programming, and at the moment 20,000 jobs and counting.

That is an investment in Canada, in culture, and in getting our message out from coast to coast to coast.

[Publishing Industry, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has to understand one thing I think the Reform Party does not understand. In a country like Canada there is a strong belief that we have two founding peoples, two official languages, and literally hundreds of Canadians of many cultures.

What we want to do is to reinforce those cultures through the federal government, and that is one of the things we have been doing.

They propose that we abolish the Canadian heritage department. which would kill the links that help build this country and make it stronger.

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, what the Bloc Quebecois suggested last week was that we ignore the CRTC's policy. We said in this House is that we respect regulatory agencies and that we want the CRTC to do its job.

If we were to act like Quebec did with Télé-Québec, we would no longer have television.

[Publishing Industry, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I think the member has it wrong.

Under WTO rulings, there was no protection for Canadian magazines. Now, with Bill C-55, which I hope will soon be passed in the House, 82% of the Canadian magazine market will be protected.

Why? For one thing, because for the first time in their history, the Americans have agreed that culture is not the same as other sectors. It is this admission that will set the stage for a good discussion in Seattle at the WTO.

[Publishing Industry, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the cultural policy adopted by the United States following acceptance of Bill C-55 is an admission for the first time in that country's history that we do in fact have the right to treat culture differently.

This must be part of an overall strategy such as we are now implementing with France and other countries, which also think that culture should be accorded special treatment.

[Publishing Industry, May 31st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member claims there are no WTO rules on subsidy when in fact there is a whole chapter in the WTO documents that were signed by the Americans ten years ago.