Canadian Heritage committee  In Canada, we have decided as a country to equip ourselves with services like APTN and TV5. So these services should also be made available.

Canadian Heritage committee  I'll draw a parallel with what the Federal Communications Commission is trying to do in the United States. As the big digital companies take over more ratings, local stations in the United States are saying that they have to reach out to citizens and present local news on these big platforms.

Canadian Heritage committee  To be honest with you, we're looking at this in a more global perspective, because streaming services are offered in over 110 countries and we have over 130 million subscribers. Negotiations are going well, but to a certain extent, some platforms are now moving toward exclusive categories.

Canadian Heritage committee  Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the committee. My name is Luc Perreault and I am a strategic advisor for the Stingray Group, which is a member of the Independent Broadcasters Group, more commonly known as the IBG. With me is Joel Fortune, who is legal counsel for the IBG.

Canadian Heritage committee  Take Stingray, for example, which I represent. We receive tangible benefits from transactions in the radio sector, amounting to millions of dollars per year. We are the last broadcaster to have benefits of this kind, but our radio stations have lost 50% of their revenue because of the pandemic.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think it's very important that we move this bill forward. If global platforms are really the way for all Canadians to access content in five years, we'll clearly be facing a serious problem. Those big global platforms pay no taxes in Canada. Canada derives no tax benefit from the revenue they earn.

Canadian Heritage committee  Diversity also means diversity of ownership. Ownership of radio and television broadcasters in Canada is held by some major interests. However, independent broadcasters are entrepreneurs that, for example, will invest in platforms that don't belong to conventional niches and thus add to cultural diversity.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think that if we all work together to promote the discoverability of Canadian content with a view to providing our communities with the kind of programming they want, we'll be able to achieve something. Some broadcasters find Canadian content regulations and requirements onerous, but it's important to provide this content to Canadians.

Canadian Heritage committee  First of all, all IBG members agree that any ownership has to be part of the law. It can be achieved via directive. I've known Joel for 35 years. He's one of the greatest lawyers that work with broadcast law. I will let Joel explain why it should be part of the law and not managed by GIC directives.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, I've read them.

Canadian Heritage committee  They're an excellent start. The directions are relatively consistent with the discussions we've had with members of the committee. However, the Independent Broadcasters Group would prefer that certain elements be included in the act rather than the directions. As regards foreign ownership and amendments that we've proposed to regulate the precedence of Canadian services over online platforms, certain powers have been withdrawn from the CRTC.

Canadian Heritage committee  That's correct. Directions may change from one government to the next. Consequently, if the Governor in Council has to issue directions to the CRTC every time the government changes, you can understand why broadcasters may find it hard to prepare their strategic plans.

Canadian Heritage committee  No, that's not the case. The CRTC has adopted a measure called the Exemption order for digital media broadcasting undertakings. This enables it to refrain from regulating online services. It has the power to do so, but it has chosen to exempt those services. The CRTC thus had, and still has, the power to regulate those services.

Canadian Heritage committee  The Independent Broadcasters Group conducted extensive consultations before proposing amendments to the bill, amendments that I think clarify the CRTC's powers. If those amendments are adopted, the new Broadcasting Act will be sufficiently balanced, and the CRTC will have enough powers to regulate the online ecosystem without always having to wait for directions from the government or the Governor in Council.

Canadian Heritage committee  After the CRTC adopted the new regulations following the consultation process on Let's Talk TV: A Conversation with Canadians in 2015, a code of conduct was established. Certain aspects of that code of conduct should be changed because independent broadcasters don't have a lot of power when they negotiate with a very large distributor.