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THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, December 8, 2022

(41) [ English ]

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 3:32 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Leo Housakos, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Downe, Gold, P.C., Housakos, Klyne, Manning, Miville-Dechêne, Omidvar, Plett, Quinn, Simons and Wallin (15).

Participating in the meeting: Shaila Anwar, Clerk Assistant, Joëlle Nadeau, Principal Clerk, Emily Barrette and Karine Déquier, procedural clerks and Guillermo Renna, Legislative Clerk, Committees Directorate; Jed Chong and Khamla Heminthavong, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-11,

An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Heritage:

Thomas Owen Ripley, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister;

Amy Awad, Senior Director, Marketplace and Legislative Policy;

Yao Ahonda, Manager, Broadcasting, Marketplace and Legislative Policy.

The committee resumed clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-11.

Resuming debate on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Manning that Bill C-11 be amended in clause 30, on page 40,

(

a) by replacing line 23 with the following:

“ternational service, to be known as Radio Canada International, whose mandate is the creation, production”;

(

b) by adding the following after line 28:

“

(2.1) Radio Canada International must offer programming that

(

a) reflects Canadian society and its values;

(

b) is from a Canadian perspective; and

(

c) includes news, information and analysis concerning Canada and its social, economic, political and cultural activities — both at home and abroad — in addition to world news.

(2.2) The Corporation shall ensure access to the programming of Radio Canada International by international audiences by providing distribution through means that include broadcasting over the Internet and by shortwave and satellite technology.

(2.3) The Corporation shall appoint an Executive Director of Radio Canada International. The Executive Director is responsible for

(

a) overseeing the financial, editorial and administrative performance of the service;

(

b) managing relations with the Corporation, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, other international broadcasters and other organizations important to the maintenance of the service;

(

c) establishing annual objectives for the service; and

(

d) reporting annually on the objectives established under paragraph (

c) to the Board of Directors of the Corporation.”.

Thomas Owen Ripley answered questions from time to time.

After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Housakos, Klyne, Manning, Plett, Wallin — [5]

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Gold, P.C., Miville-Dechêne, Omidvar, Simons — [8]

ABSTENTIONS

The Honourable Senator

Quinn — [1]

It was agreed that clause 30, as amended, carry, on division.

At 3:36 p.m., the Honourable Senator Downe replaced the Honourable Senator Quinn as a member of the committee.

The chair asked whether clause 31 shall carry.

The Honourable Senator Downe moved that Bill C-11 be amended on page 41 by adding the following after line 22:

“ 31.01 Subsection 71(3) of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (c):

(c.1) the names and total compensation, including annual salary, of all staff of the Corporation who, during the year to which the report relates, received total compensation, including annual salary, that is greater than the annual sessional allowance of a member of the Senate for that year as determined under

section 55.1 of the Parliament of Canada Act ,”.

After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment that new clause 31.01 carry, it was negatived on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Downe, Housakos, Klyne, Manning, Plett, Wallin— [6]

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Gold, P.C., Miville-Dechêne, Omidvar, Simons — [8]

ABSTENTIONS

NIL

It was agreed that clause 31 carry, on division.

At 3:46 p.m., the Honourable Senator Quinn replaced the Honourable Senator Downe as a member of the committee.

The Honourable Senator Manning moved that Bill C-11 be amended on page 41 by adding the following after line 22:

“ 31.01 Subsection 54(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(2) The corporate plan of the Corporation shall encompass all the businesses and activities, including investments, of the Corporation, Radio Canada International and any wholly owned subsidiaries.

(2.1) In respect of Radio Canada International, the corporate plan must provide a specific annual budget that is sufficient for the personnel, technical and administrative requirements of the service in order for it to fulfil its mandate as provided under

section 46.”.

After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment that new clause 31.01 carry, it was negatived on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Housakos, Manning, Plett, Quinn, Wallin — [5]

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Gold, P.C., Klyne, Miville-Dechêne, Omidvar, Simons — [9]

ABSTENTIONS

NIL

The chair asked whether clause 31.1 shall carry.

The Honourable Senator Cormier moved that Bill C-11 be amended in clause 31.1, on page 41, by replacing lines 23 to 28 with the following:

“31.1 Subparagraph 6(2)(a)(ii) of the Status of the Artist Act is replaced by the following:

(ii) broadcasting undertakings, regulated under the Broadcasting Act , that are federal works, undertakings or businesses , as defined in

section 2 of the Canada Labour Code , or that are corporations established to perform any function or duty on behalf of the Government of Canada;”.

After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted, on division.

It was agreed that clause 31.1, as amended, carry, on division.

With leave and pursuant to rule 12-20(4), it was agreed that the committee group the remaining clauses.

It was agreed that clauses 32 to 54 carry, on division.

It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the

short title, carry, on division.

It was agreed that the title carry, on division.

The chair asked if the bill, as amended, shall carry.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Gold, P.C., Klyne, Miville-Dechêne, Omidvar, Simons — [9]

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Housakos, Manning, Plett, Quinn, Wallin — [5]

ABSTENTIONS

NIL

It was agreed that the law clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be authorized to make necessary technical, grammatical, or other required non-substantive changes as a result of the amendments adopted by the committee, including updating cross-references and renumbering of provisions.

The committee discussed observations.

The Honourable Senator Plett moved that the observations circulated by the Honourable Senator Manning be appended to the committee’s report on Bill C-11 as the observations of the Conservative senators on the committee.

The question being put on the motion it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Wallin moved that the observations she circulated be appended to the committee’s report on Bill C-11 as the observations of the Canadian Senators Group on the committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

It was agreed that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to approve the final version of the observations being appended to the report, taking into consideration today’s discussion, and with the necessary editorial, grammatical or translation changes, as required

It was agreed that the chair report Bill C-11, with amendments and with observations to the Senate.

At 5:16 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee

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