CHPC Committee Report

SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION OF THE BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS

There are two countries in this country

There are two countries in this country: Canada and Quebec.

And there is no better proof of this than a study of the television industry, which is at the heart of modern culture.

The reality and problems facing the television industry in Canada are so different from those facing Quebec’s television industry! And yet the members of the Heritage Committee continue to deny this fact and prepare reports that seek to develop the same solutions for two different problems.

The evidence heard indicates that American culture has a growing influence on Canadians, who are less and less interested in their own television programming. Who said recently that Canada is the only country that prefers television programs from their neighbour?[1] All the studies and all the witnesses confirm this. This of course creates many problems for artists, producers, broadcasters and distributors in Canada. And it explains the ratings problems and the erosion of media advertising revenues in Canada. The solutions must therefore be Canadian.

The situation in Quebec is just the opposite. Quebeckers thrive on Quebec content. They enjoy seeing their lives reflected on the small screen, in their own language. They want more Quebec content and have supported a well-structured star system since the start of television. There are no problems with ratings either: Quebeckers choose Quebec content. French-language television is essentially for Quebeckers and tells stories about Quebec told by Quebeckers. Quebeckers’ language and sense of national belonging are the basis for their interest in their own television programming, both private and public.

A structural problem

The Bloc Québécois has noted a structural problem in the development of the television industry in Quebec which creates a financial imbalance among the various stakeholders in the industry.

Conditions changed with the advent of specialty channels, and certain rules, which exacerbate this imbalance, have also changed. Since conditions have changed, the rules should all be reviewed in order to set matters straight again. This could be done in Quebec by Quebeckers.

Media fragmentation (conventional, specialty channels etc.) is also a reality, as is audience fragmentation and fragmented advertising revenues. Specialty channels now have a 50% audience share.

Media concentration and convergence, the funding of drama series, residuals, in-house production, funding for public affairs programs, the problems facing TQS and the regional development of all broadcasters are issues that would have received more attention if our study had pertained exclusively to Quebec.

 (Similarly, Canadian content issues could have been studied in greater depth.)

Solutions for Quebec: being masters in our own house

Quebec’s realities require solutions made in Quebec. This is why the Bloc Québécois is insisting above all that all powers relating to the arts, culture and telecommunications be transferred to the Quebec government. On March 23, 2009, Quebec’s minister of culture and communications, Christine St-Pierre, made this request once again on behalf of the Quebec government in a letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, James Moore, stating: “Concluding a communications agreement would make it possible to better reflect the specific characteristics of Quebec content in broadcasting and telecommunications.”Ms. St-Pierre is simply restating a longstanding demand put forward by both Liberal and PQ governments.

A CRTC for Quebec

The vitality of Quebec culture is key to strengthening the Quebec nation. This is why Quebec must have control over all aspects of the promotion and dissemination of its culture, which reflects its identity, language and values. The Quebec nation must control all the instruments that help develop its culture, just as Canada controls the instruments of Canadian culture, in part through the CRTC.

Last year, the Bloc Québécois introduced a bill to transfer to Quebec control over its telecommunications, as Lawrence Cannon had proposed when he was a minister in Bourassa’s government. All it would take would be an administrative agreement. With such an agreement in place, Quebec could create a Quebec radio-television and telecommunications commission (QRTC), which would establish its own regulations in keeping with Quebec’s concerns and interests. Refusing to grant Quebec control over its telecommunications is refusing to give it control over its cultural development.

Internet

The Internet has changed life in Quebec as it has elsewhere in the world. Consumers want access to content on demand. Many now refuse to be bound by inflexible programming and schedules. The television content available on the Internet is exploding. The Committee and the CRTC will not be able to avoid this issue any longer if they still want to influence cultural development in Canada.

Public broadcaster

The Committee members should have reiterated the conditions contained in the report of February 2008[2] regarding the CBC/Radio-Canada. The Bloc Québécois wishes to repeat recommendation 4.4 that the CBC/Radio-Canada should receive core funding of at least $40 per capita, as the Committee concluded in its report entitled CBC/Radio-Canada: Defining Distinctiveness in the Changing Media Landscape. The Bloc Québécois also reiterates recommendation 4.2 of the same report that the additional $60 million in parliamentary votes that the CBC/Radio-Canada has received since 2002 be added to the Corporation’s core funding. It is surprising that the Committee did not repeat these two recommendations that it supported last year.

Tax credit

The Bloc Québécois also recommends that the government and the Committee consider establishing a tax credit program for regional productions and regional media workers, which would be available to broadcasters and independent producers.

Public service channels

Finally, in our opinion, the basic programming offered by broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDU) should include not only public, community, Aboriginal and educational networks, but also public service channels such as the Weather Network.

Thank you

The Bloc Québécois wishes to thank all the witnesses who gave their time and energy to share their experience and knowledge.