Pablo Rodriguez

[Canadian Heritage, June 10th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that we have been working on this file for quite some time. We set up a panel of experts that is currently reviewing this issue and will be submitting recommendations, which will enable us to legislate quickly based on a set of principles, one of which is absolutely essential.

As I have said many times, we are going to ensure that the system is the same for everyone and that everyone who participates in the system contributes to the system. There will be no free passes.

[Canadian Heritage, June 5th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is in fine form today. As I said earlier, he should be saying those things to the Conservatives, who were in power for 10 years and did absolutely nothing.

Since taking office, we have created a committee that is in the process of analyzing all of this in order to eventually change the law. We will have one system that will be the same for everyone and will ensure that everyone who participates in the system contributes to the system.

No government has done more for culture than our government.

[Canadian Heritage, June 5th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the question should be asked of the Conservatives. For 10 full years, they did nothing. On our side, we work. We put in place a panel that will give recommendations, and we will change the law, a law that predates the Internet. While they did nothing, we will make sure that anybody who participates in this system contributes to the system, without any exception.

[Canadian Heritage, June 5th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the employees and their families. The loss of even just one job is a tragedy, particularly when it affects the culture and communications sector.

The NDP should be asking the Conservatives that question. They sat on their hands for 10 years while they were in office. They did absolutely nothing, but we are addressing the problem. There is a committee that is looking into this. We are going to legislate and ensure that, in the end, all those who participate in the system contribute to the system, with no exceptions.

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

In very few words, that is totally false, Mr. Speaker.

Let me talk about this program for print media: millions of dollars in support for the news and media industry, helping Canadians get the information they need, supporting expensive costs for shipping, special funding for underserved communities.

Does that ring a bell? This is the 2010 program brought in by the Conservatives to support the media. The difference here is that the Conservatives did not want an independent panel to decide; they wanted to pick themselves.

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, that is another direct attack against workers. Why are the Conservatives so afraid of the middle class and our workers?

They waged war against workers under the Harper government. They tried to make it harder to organize freely, bargain collectively and work in safe environments.

We know that unions are not the enemy. When will the Conservatives understand that?

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, there is something deeply offensive in that, not towards me or the government, but towards journalists, the men and women who have built their careers on integrity, professionalism, independence and the freedom to think, act and write.

Today the Conservatives are saying that these individuals can be bought. That is insulting to journalists, to our media and even to our democracy.

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, today we see another attack on unions. Why are the Conservatives so scared of middle-class workers? Under the Harper regime, they waged a war on workers' rights. They made it more difficult for workers to organize freely, bargain collectively and work in safe environments. Unlike the Conservatives, we understand that unions are our partners, not the enemy.

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, there is a series of attacks across the world against the free press, and today the Conservative Party has officially joined the movement. The Conservatives have decided to take the entire day to attack Canadian media and Canadian journalists. It is very concerning: the Conservatives are directly attacking our democracy. On this side of the House, we will always support a strong, free and independent press.

[News Media Industry, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, from the outset, we have stressed the importance of having everyone around the table, including newspaper owners, the people working in the newsroom, and unions representing journalists and workers.

What we on this side of the House want is a free press, a strong press, an independent press. Instead of attacking the press and journalists, we hope the members across the aisle will join forces with us to make the press stronger and more dynamic.