James Moore

[Arts and Culture, March 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, he is entirely wrong. What we are doing is our due diligence on behalf of taxpayers. As I said, we are spending $2.3 billion this year on arts and culture funding across the country. It is a record amount. Never before in the history of the country has a government put more support and more financing behind arts and culture than this Conservative government. With that level of spending, of course we have to do our due diligence.

All those groups that qualify for funding will get funding at a record level never seen before because Canadians elected a Conservative government.

[Arts and Culture, March 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are doing our job. We are investing $2.3 billion in Canadian artists this year.

I know my colleague did his homework by reading this morning's Globe and Mail, but I can assure him that we are taking a very close look at all files on behalf of Canadian taxpayers. People will receive their money.

The Conservative government is investing more money than any government in the history of this country.

[Campaign Advertising, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member involved has always respected the campaign finance laws of this country in the past and always will in the future.

[Campaign Advertising, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in the last campaign and in every election campaign, this Conservative government always follows the rules and the regulations, absolutely. Any allegations by the NDP are, of course, made up.

[Arts and Culture, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are investing more in our artists. This year, our investment will be $2.3 billion, the largest investment in the history of this country. On the international scene, the investment is $22 million. We are providing $13 million to the Canada Council for the Arts, $4.8 million to the Association for the Export of Canadian Books, $1.9 million to Telefilm Canada, $1.8 million to FACTOR Music Action and $900,000 to the National Film Board.

The Bloc Québécois has voted against every one of these amounts.

[Arts and Culture, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as we have in the past, we are now supporting our artists on the international scene. This year, we are doing so to the tune of $22 million. That is an unprecedented amount in the history of our country.

My hon. colleague referred to the Department of Foreign Affairs. That department maintains a network of 171 cultural affairs officers in its missions abroad.

We are doing what we promised to do during the election campaign; we are keeping our promises to the artists. That is what we are doing.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), the Government of Canada has sole authority to ratify international treaties and seeks to ensure that domestic laws, policies and programs comply with the treaty in question prior to ratification. Where an international treaty has implications for provincial and territorial governments, as is the case with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD, e.g., regarding accessibility of buildings and services, legal capacity, health, education, family law, et cetera, these governments will do their own assessments to ensure conformity with the relevant provisions of the treaty. The Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments are currently reviewing their policies, programs and legislation with a view to ratifying the CRPD.

In response to (b), consultations with provincial and territorial governments are ongoing. It is essential that governments have the time required to consult in confidence in order to ensure Canada’s compliance and support for ratification of the CRPD.

In response to (c), the Government of Canada is providing support and assistance to provincial and territorial governments throughout the ongoing review and assessment process. All governments are actively reviewing their policies, programs and legislation as required prior to ratification. As is common practice, the Government of Canada will seek the formal support of provincial and territorial governments once these internal reviews are completed and following a decision by the federal government with respect to ratification.

In response to (d), a ministerial meeting has not been scheduled. The Government of Canada continues to work with provinces and territories through the Continuing Committee of Officials on Human Rights.

In response to (e), the CRPD is a standing item on the agendas for biannual face-to-face meetings of the CCOHR and the monthly conference calls of the CCOHR.

In response to (f), discussions on ratification of the CRPD were held at the last in person meeting of the CCOHR as well as prior and subsequent conference calls. The review and consultations are ongoing.

In response to (g), the Government of Canada has not set a firm timeline for ratification in order to ensure that all governments have the time required to review their policies, programs and legislation for compliance with the CRPD prior to a final decision on ratification.

The timeframe in which governments are currently working is within the norms established by the process for ratification of other international human rights treaties which had similar implications for provincial and territorial governments.

In response to (h), (i) and (j), the process with respect to ratification of an optional protocol establishing an individual complaints mechanism in respect of an international human rights treaty, such as the optional protocol to the CRPD, is the same as the process for ratification of the treaty itself. The focus of current discussions with provinces and territories has been on the convention.

[Official Languages, March 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is what we have to say and what our policies on official languages in Canada are. We have a road map and this is what it is: $1.1 billion over five years invested in the official languages of our country. These investments will go all over our country—in Quebec, outside Quebec, in the regions—for Canada's official languages. For us, there are two official languages in our country, and we are protecting them.

[Broadcasting, March 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, after the announcement yesterday, Ivan Fecan, of CTVglobemedia, said, “Congratulations to [the] Minister...for putting the audience first in the creation of this fund”.

That is what we are trying to do. We are merging together the old Canada media fund and the Canada television fund to create the Canada media fund. This will support industry, Canadian content, official languages, aboriginal content and the content that Canadians want to watch on the platform on which they choose to watch it.

This is about modernizing the way we make investments so that it serves Canadians better. It is what we were elected to do and we have delivered.

[Arts and Culture, March 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member says we are kicking the Canadian Television Fund. The Canadian Television Fund supports the Canada media fund; it supports what we are doing. The member says he speaks for the Canadian Television Fund. The Canadian Television Fund says we are speaking for them. This reform, $310 million for more Canadian content on more platforms, is going to serve Canada's future.

The NDP members are only upset because this is a great idea that they did not think of. They voted against the budget before they read it. With $310 million for the best interests of Canadians, we are getting the job done.