Gaston Leroux

[The Film Industry, November 7th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the problem in this case is that the decision is up to a body with two heads. The head of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, which wants to protect the cultural industry, and the head of the Minister of Industry, which wants to circumvent the cultural industry. Cabinet will be meeting in two days time and Polygram may be on the agenda at this meeting.

I would like to know, then, what guarantees can the Minister of Canadian Heritage give us to show she is in a position to ensure compliance with Canadian policies?

[The Film Industry, November 7th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is convinced that Polygram's entry on the Canadian film distribution market will be detrimental to the industry. Her colleague at the Department of Industry seems to take an entirely different view of the matter and would be inclined to let Polygram enter the Canadian market. However, the decision on this issue is up to the Minister of Industry, who will have to abide by the policies established by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It is indeed very disturbing.

How will the Minister of Canadian Heritage make her colleague understand that, as shown in a recent study by Heritage Canada, it is imperative for the film industry that no exception be made for Polygram?

[The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, on several occasions in this House she has fobbed off responsibility for the cuts onto the Minister of Finance. Her response indicates how little importance she attached to the reality of a recommendation, and of Liberal commitments, to find stable multi year funding for the CBC.

On the weekend, Pierre Juneau, the author of the Juneau report, was quoted in the Toronto Star as being concerned about the future of Radio Canada International, as was the Conseil de presse du Québec. So we are just where we were a year ago.

Will the Deputy Minister and Minister of Heritage commit now, before this House, to take all of the steps necessary to save Radio Canada International, instead of once again dumping it onto her colleague in finance?

[The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in an interview at last week's Liberal convention, the Minister of Heritage stated that she was not responsible-an opinion we share-for the fact that the CBC budget had been reduced by $127 million in 1996-97. According to her, the responsibility lay with the Minister of Finance.

How can the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Heritage explain to us today her flagrant lack of ministerial solidarity in dumping onto her colleague, the Minister of Finance, her own responsibilities and commitments toward the CBC?

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 24th, 1996]

My supplementary is for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Since the Liberals came to power, the CBC French network has eliminated 1,300 jobs, mainly in the Montreal area. They are telling us they are looking after Montreal and always have, and yet most of these 1,300 jobs were lost in the Montreal area.

Is it not outrageous that while she is making these cuts, she is sinking several million in a flag campaign and in an Information Canada type committee?

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 24th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, one does not get taller by stepping on somebody else's head.

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 24th, 1996]

You may laugh, all of you champions in job creation. Does the minister believe that, in making unprecedented cuts such as those inflicted upon CBC by her government, she is fulfilling her electoral promises in the areas of culture and job creation?

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, October 24th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in its red book, the Liberal Party of Canada accused the Tories of having jeopardized Canadian culture with their drastic cuts in cultural funding. The Liberal Party promised stable multiyear financing for national cultural institutions. However, since it came to power, it has cut $350 million in the CBC's budget alone, thus forcing the corporation to lay off close to 4,000 cultural workers.

My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage.

[Communications, October 21st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's reputation for calculating speaks for itself. How can the heritage minister intimate that DMX increased its Canadian content, considering that 17 of the 35 channels DMX intends to

offer will be programmed in the United States, where no Canadian content requirement applies? Do the calculation and tell me about it.

[Communications, October 21st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this is only Monday. On March 19, the heritage minister returned DMX's license to the CRTC because the proposed Canadian and French content of the company's audio programming was clearly insufficient. However, on October 11, the minister granted the license to DMX, even though the situation was still essentially the same.

Since DMX's proposal is basically the same in October as it was in March, can the heritage minister explain what made her change her mind and grant a license to DMX?