James Rajotte

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, the minister often says that the CRTC is an independent body, that she cannot interfere and the fact is that she has to let it make the decisions.

The facts and the reality on certain issues like RAI International are that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the minister of human resources, the former minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have all stood up and said RAI International will be made available in Canada. One former minister during the last election campaign said not to worry about the CRTC decision, that the government would make sure that RAI International is available in Canada.

There is a double standard here. When the government wants to have a channel available in Canada for political reasons because it is losing support in the Italian Canadian community, the government feels it can overrule the CRTC. On other issues such as Fox News, HBO or Spike TV, the government says it cannot touch them, that the CRTC is an independent body.

The government cannot have it both ways. Why does this government interfere when it suits its political purposes but refuse to give policy direction on other issues such as Spike TV, HBO and Fox News?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters believes that Spike TV, which is a very popular U.S. channel made available here in Canada, should be removed from Canadian television sets because it is “a network for men” and we already have a network for men called Men TV.

Does the minister support this ridiculous endeavour or does she believe that Canadian men should perhaps be able to watch more than one channel on their television sets?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I would like to move on to Fox News. Fox News is not available to Canadians, but it is available to Canadians who happen to be members of Parliament because it is available on Parliament Hill. I want this minister to explain to constituents in my riding why they are not able to watch Fox News on their television sets but their member of Parliament can watch it here on Parliament Hill.

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, during the last election and since that time, at least three Liberal ministers and one former minister promised the Italian Canadian community, in public, that RAI International, a popular Italian television station, would be made available in Canada. Four to five months have passed since those promises and RAI is still not available in Canada. Why not? Why did this government break its promise to the Italian Canadian community?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, this summer the CRTC revoked the broadcasting licence of CHOI-FM, a popular Quebec radio station. Under the Broadcasting Act, the cabinet has the power to set aside the decision or refer the decision back to the CRTC for reconsideration to issue, amend or renew a licence within 90 days of the decision date. The cabinet and the minister decided not to do that. Why did the minister and the cabinet decide not to send the decision back to the CRTC or to renew the licence of CHOI-FM?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, it was a report by the industry committee in April 2003. The chairman was the member for St. Catharines. It was a recommendation to remove the foreign ownership restrictions for cable companies and telecommunication companies. Does the minister agree with that recommendation?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, perhaps in her next answer she could state whether she agrees with the committee report.

Could the minister state if she agrees with the industry committee report, a majority report from the Liberals, agreed to by the Conservatives as well, that the Government of Canada remove all foreign ownership restrictions on cable companies and telecommunication companies? The report was signed by both Liberal and Conservative members. Does she agree with this recommendation?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I have some very specific questions I would like to ask the Minister of Canadian Heritage. First, why has she not amended the Copyright Act to date? Does she agree with the interim report from the heritage committee on copyright?

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

That is not what the artists are saying, Sam.

[Technology Partnerships Canada, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the government has insisted for years that all loans through Technology Partnerships Canada would be repaid in full. To date the program has spent $2.7 billion taxpayer dollars, but only has recovered $89 million, less than 3%. That is a shame.

Now an internal Industry Canada report makes clear what the opposition and the media have been saying for years, that these loans will not be repaid in full, not even close.

Why has the government consistently misled Canadians by telling them and the House that these loans would be repaid? Why is the government continuing to waste taxpayer dollars on corporate--