THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 15, 2022
(11)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of May 5, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 6:31 p.m. ET, the chair, the Honourable Leo Housakos, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Clement, Cormier, Dasko, Dawson, Klyne, Manning, Miville-Dechêne, Richards, and Simons (9).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Housakos, Quinn, and Sorensen (3).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Omidvar (1).

Participating in the meeting: Shaila Anwar, Clerk Assistant and Brigitte Martineau, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Khamla Heminthavong and Jed Chong, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of the subject matter of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts.

The committee discussed a draft agenda (future business).

The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne moved:

That, pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on May 31, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications continue its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, during the week of June 20, 2022, by inviting representatives from Canadian Heritage, representatives from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Konrad von Finckenstein, Michael Geist and Pierre Trudel or, in the event that one or more are unavailable, other witnesses in the order of priority indicated in the committee’s workplan, and;

That the clerk of the committee be instructed to make all appropriate invitations and preparations to begin this study, including scheduling additional meetings, as required, and under the direction of the steering committee.

The Honourable Senator Richards moved:

That committee panels be limited to no more than two witnesses per panel to give witnesses the time to share their perspectives with senators as fully as possible, and to allow sufficient time for Senators to question witnesses;

That one meeting each be devoted to hearing from officials from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the CRTC Commissioner; and one panel each, devoted to hearing from officials from the Department of Justice and the Privacy Commissioner, who should be the final witness to appear within this grouping. The first two to four meetings should focus on these four witnesses before moving on to other witnesses;

That the Minister of Canadian Heritage be invited for a full meeting of the committee. The Minister should be specifically invited to appear at the end of the hearing process once all other witnesses have been heard.

After debate, the motion was deemed inadmissible and was negatived.

The Honourable Senator Manning moved:

That, given the widespread and comprehensive impact of this legislation, the committee make a particular effort to hear from ordinary Canadians on this bill, in particular from online creators and from LGBTQ2S, Black and Indigenous Canadians.

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

At 7:31 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee