Pascale St-Onge

[Canadian Heritage, November 24th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, since taking office in 2015, our government has been there to help the entire cultural sector deal with the crisis and the disruption that foreign platforms have brought to the market.

That is why we modernized the Broadcasting Act, and the CRTC is currently consulting broadcasters, platforms and people in the cultural industry to see how we can better help our television and radio stations deal with today's reality.

This modernization will pay off in the coming weeks and months. We will continue to work with my colleague on these issues.

[Canadian Heritage, November 24th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague on the fact that the media is in crisis.

That is why we have been there since day one, bringing in new programs to support our news media. We have also modernized the Broadcasting Act. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission—

[News Media Industry, November 21st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question and for the fact that, unlike the Conservatives, the Bloc has contributed to ensuring that we get through the process to adopt the Online News Act, but also to modernize the framework of the Online Streaming Act.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is now ready to begin implementing this new regulatory framework. We will see the results in the coming months and years.

One thing is certain: Unlike the Conservatives, we have always been there to support our creators and our artists. We will continue to do so.

[News Media Industry, November 21st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague knows full well, since the media crisis began in Canada, our government has been engaged in introducing tax credits, among other things, and launching new programs, which we will continue to do.

We have now given the CRTC all the tools it needs to adapt the regulatory framework to today's reality, and especially to ensure that web giants pay their fair share and participate in the success of our Canadian businesses and of our Canadian creators. We will continue to work in partnership with everyone in the media industry.

[Canadian Heritage, November 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is absolutely right. The audiovisual world has changed completely since the Broadcasting Act was introduced. We have modernized the act in order to adapt it to today's digital world.

Last week, I was with people working in the cultural sector to announce the new final policy direction, which aims both to protect users and to support jobs here in Canada. Canadians want journalists, artists and the creative industry to be given equal opportunities to have a strong online presence.

The only ones who do not understand that are the Conservatives, who opposed the modernization of that act at every opportunity. It is truly shameful.

[News Media Industry, November 9th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, our government has never sat idly by. We have set up programs, and I remain open to any idea or solution that could help the sector. That is something the Conservatives never did. They never sided with cultural workers. They have been against them every step of the way, and we are seeing the consequences of that now. We have been unable to modify the regulatory framework for the audiovisual sector for three years now. This is costing jobs, and that is their fault.

We will see the Conservatives' true colours when the anti-scab bill is tabled. Will they side with workers and the people, or will they once again be in the pocket of big corporations and wealthy Canadians?

[News Media Industry, November 9th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we are obviously very concerned about what is happening in the media sector. That is why we have been putting programs in place for a number of years to provide better support to print media and media in general. We have also worked hard to modernize our laws and ensure that the web giants, our cultural industry, our creators and our journalists operate within a fairer environment.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives have opposed all of our efforts. I have no idea why they are in the pocket of the web giants instead of siding with Canadian businesses and Canadian workers.

[Canadian Heritage, November 7th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, we have witnessed the impact of the crisis on media outlets across the country. That is why we introduced support programs.

I am obviously very shaken by the news of the 547 jobs lost. We will keep working on the various proposals. We are examining every option for supporting the media.

We now see the results of the Conservatives' constant filibustering in an attempt to prevent us from modernizing our laws. Had we been able to do it in 2020, when we first introduced the bill, those jobs might not have been lost. That is entirely on the Conservatives.

[Canadian Heritage, November 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is absolutely right.

Last week, Canada welcomed the President of Switzerland on Canadian soil for the first time ever. My colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed a modernized audiovisual co-production treaty with President Berset. The treaty will help increase the number of film, television and video projects produced in collaboration, with much bigger budgets. This is excellent news for our creators in Canada and for the entire audiovisual industry, whose work is world class.

We will continue to support our audiovisual sector because we know how important it is to Canada.

[Canadian Heritage, November 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I share my colleague's concerns.

That is why we first introduced a bill to modernize the Broadcasting Act in 2020. Unfortunately, since 2020, the Conservatives have been obstructing efforts to modernize our audiovisual landscape and news media. Still today, they continue to say that we want to censor Canadians when we really want to promote quality journalism across the country and a creative industry that is vital to our democracy and all of society.