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44 th Parliament, 1 st Session

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THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

(18) [ English ]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of May 5, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 4 p.m. ET, the chair, the Honourable Ratna Omidvar, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bovey, Dasko, Kutcher, McPhedran, Omidvar, Petitclerc and Poirier (7).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Cordy, Lankin, P.C., Moodie and Verner, P.C. (4).

Participating in the meeting: Barbara Reynolds and Karine Déquier, procedural clerks, Sara Gajic, Legislative Clerk and Marc-André Lanthier, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Laura Blackmore, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 7, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-208,

An Act respecting the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Canada Council for the Arts :

Simon Brault, Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Artist-Run Centres and Collectives:

Clayton Windatt, Executive Director.

Canadian Senior Artists Resource Network:

Scott Walker, Executive Director.

West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative:

William Huffman, Marketing Manager.

Why Not Theatre:

Ravi Jain, Co-Artistic Director and Founder.

As an individual:

Louise Déry, Director, University of Quebec in Montreal Gallery.

Simon Brault, Clayton Windatt and Scott Walker each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:40 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:41 p.m., the committee resumed.

Louise Déry, William Huffman and Ravi Jain each made a statement and answered questions.

It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-208,

An Act respecting the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada.

It was agreed that the title stand postponed.

It was agreed that the

preamble stand postponed.

It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the

short title, stand postponed.

It was agreed that clause 2 carry.

It was agreed that clause 3 carry.

The chair asked whether clause 4 shall carry.

The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., moved that Bill S-208 be amended in clause 4, on page 2, by adding the following after line 18:

“ (d.1) the Minister responsible for official languages;”.

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

The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., moved that Bill S-208 be amended in clause 4, on page 2, by adding the following after line 24:

(g.1) French-speaking artists and organizations representing those artists;”.

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

The Honourable Senator Dasko moved that Bill S-208 be amended in clause 4, on page 2, by adding the following after line 24:

“ (g.1) artists who represent the ethnic and racial diversity of Canada and organizations that work on their behalf;”.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Omidvar moved that the motion in amendment be amended by adding the words “and all other diversities” after the word “diversity”.

After debate, the question being put on the subamendment, it was adopted.

The question being put on the motion in amendment, as amended, it was adopted.

It was agreed that clause 4, as amended, carry.

It was agreed that clause 5 carry.

It was agreed that clause 6 carry.

It was agreed that the

schedule carry.

It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the

short title, carry.

The chair asked whether the

preamble shall carry.

The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., moved that Bill S-208 be amended in the

preamble, on page 1, by adding the following after line 12:

“Whereas English-speaking artists and French-speaking artists, as integral parts of the two official language communities of Canada, should have equal opportunities to pursue their artistic endeavours in order to enhance the vitality and development of English and French linguistic minority communities;”.

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

It was agreed that the

preamble, as amended, carry.

It was agreed that the title carry.

It was agreed that the bill, as amended, carry.

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.

After debate, it was agreed that the draft observations be adopted and that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to approve the final version of the observations, taking into consideration this meeting’s discussions and with any necessary editorial, grammatical and translation changes as required.

It was agreed that the chair report Bill S-208, with amendments and with observations, to the Senate.

At 5:56 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTSET:

Joëlle Nadeau

Clerk of the Committee

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