CHPC Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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Minutes of Proceedings
The witnesses made statements and answered questions.
Taleeb Noormohamed moved, — Given announced plans to layoff 4,800 employees, Bell Canada Enterprises’ largest such set of layoffs in nearly 30 years, directly impacting a minimum of 4800 families across Canada and significantly harming access in Canada to local journalism and thus significantly damaging the democratic discourse, pursuant to standing order 108(2), the committee call on the executive leadership of Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) to testify for a minimum of two hours to discuss the announced cuts.
The meeting should take place no later than March 1, 2024, and witnesses called are Mirko Bibic, President and CEO, BCE Inc. and Bell Canada; Sean Cohan, President Bell Media; Blaik Kirby, Group President, Consumer and Small and Medium Business, Curtis Millen, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, BCE and Bell Canada; Karine Moses, Senior Vice President, Content Development and News and Vice Chair, Québec; and Nikki Moffat, Executive Vice President, Corporate Services, and Chief Human Resources Officer .Debate arose thereon.
Niki Ashton moved, — That the motion be amended by adding, at the end of the current text, the following: “The committee also calls on the Minister of Heritage and the Minister of Industry for 1 hour each to explain their response to these devastating job cuts that will affect thousands of workers, the fight against disinformation and access to local news for communities across the country.”.
At 5:37 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 5:43 p.m., the sitting resumed.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Niki Ashton and it was negatived on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Niki Ashton, Jacques Gourde, Martin Shields, Rachael Thomas, Kevin Waugh — 5;
NAYS: Martin Champoux, Michael Coteau, Anju Dhillon, Anna Gainey, Patricia Lattanzio, Taleeb Noormohamed — 6.
After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Niki Ashton, Martin Champoux, Michael Coteau, Anju Dhillon, Anna Gainey, Patricia Lattanzio, Taleeb Noormohamed — 7;
NAYS: — 0.
It was agreed, — That any requested changes to the draft budget respecting the committee’s proposed travel in relation to its study of Diversity of Canada’s Culture, Arts and Heritage be sent to the clerk of the committee by noon on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
At 5:59 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.