SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 217

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 20, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 217 - Jun/20/23
Hon. Pablo Rodriguez
  • Jun/20/23 11:11:08 a.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-18 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and the New Democrats for their overall work on this very important bill. I can say that they get it. His question points to why the bill is so important. It is not a silver lining for now; we need more, and we are doing more as a government. For example, we put in place a tax credit on labour. We put in place local journalism initiatives. We have the Canada periodical fund. These will support everything we are doing, and we are open to doing more. One thing we are not willing to do is to just stand down like the Conservatives and say that we are not going to do anything for our local media. That is totally unacceptable, and history will remember it.
132 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 217 - Jun/20/23
Hon. Pablo Rodriguez
  • Jun/20/23 11:17:23 a.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-18 
Madam Speaker, what is accurate is that this bill is there to support media across the country. As I said, around 500 media outlets have closed their doors. Big ones and small ones, in regions and in cities everywhere, have closed. It has a huge impact on our democracy that they are not there to tell their stories. In some regions, there is no more coverage, so the population does not know what the local MPs do in Ottawa. People do not know what the local provincial MLA goes and does in the capital. They do not know what the city councillor is doing in terms of making decisions. That is bad for our democracy. We have to be there. Contrary to what my colleague said, there are many programs in place. As I said, we have a tax credit on labour and local journalism initiatives, as well as the Canada periodical fund. There are many projects, and this would reinforce all those programs.
164 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 217 - Jun/20/23
Hon. Pablo Rodriguez
  • Jun/20/23 11:26:21 a.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-18 
Madam. Speaker, I do listen to what is happening in the committee. It is very important for me, being the Minister of Canadian Heritage. I have a lot of respect for the work of the committee, and I have had the chance to go committee many times. However, there are many programs for local papers. As I said before, there is the tax credit on labour, local journalism initiatives, especially for small communities. There is the Canada periodical fund. We are open to work with the other parties to come up with other solutions. However, Bill C-18 is one of those solutions. It is there, it is ready, it has been studied in the House and in the Senate. It is time we move on.
126 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border