Senate QP: Joly is consulting and making investments

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In a bit of procedural quirkiness, Senate QP interrupted a vote bell to go to ministerial Question Period with special guest star, heritage minister Mélanie Joly, with the intention that the bell resume afterward. Odd, but that’s what happens sometimes. Senator Boisvenu led off, for a change, railing about the cost of the Parliament Hill skating rink while the prime minister told veterans they were asking for too much (which isn’t quite true, but whatever). Joly first said that Canada 150 was a great success and said that the rink saw thousands of visitors.

Senator Seidman asked about services for the English-speaking Quebeckers who can’t get funding, and another the review of the regulations that act as a barrier in service delivery. Joly said that she and the Treasury Board president were looking at the regulations, and praised the investment in official languages which included a specific sum of money for English-speaking communities in Quebec, particularly those outside of Montreal.

Senator Joyal asked about the Supreme Court of Canada rulings against Internet service providers when it comes to privacy rights, and he applied it to how European governments are pressuring providers like Netflix using those same legal principles. Joly said that she has been working to modernise our legislation, including with an announcement made earlier today. Principles in that modernisation included web giants needing to contribute to Canadian content, while the government strengthened the mandate of CBC, and wanted to give more power to the CRTC.

Senator McPhedran asked about the Auditor General’s report on the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and wondered about maintaining and stabilising the Museum’s current funding. Joly said that the previous government underfunded the institution, which was why this government added its funding and would work to making it sustainable without interfering in its operations.

Senator Bovey asked the copyright reform, as well as other museum and arts legislation consultations. Joly noted that consultations are ongoing, not only on copyrights, but with the export board, and noted that the policy was to ensure that museums had independence. 

Senator Housakos asked about Joly’s previous support for opening an embassy in Armenia, while the Government Leader in the Senate has indicated that it was not the right time. Joly noted that she was suprised how partisan the Senate still was, and that she supported the Armenian community, and that she had several discussions with the former and current ambassador and would have discussions when the Francophonie meets in Armenia this fall.

Senator Tkachuk asked about the Copyright Board’s reforms, and Joly offered some vague assurances that consultations were ongoing.

Senator Dawson noted that the Broadcasting Act review is 18 months late, and tax loopholes that allow Internet giants to direct their ad revenue to the US instead of Canada. Joly said that while experts have been offering advice, they have been proactive on the file by investing into the public broadcaster so that there can be journalists in places where there weren’t any before, and funds for community radio and for new models of media.

Senator Saint-Germain picked up on that topic, and that Canadians are paying double for Internet than they should. Joly said that the expert panel would have an interim report to help them get some guidance, and that while the media sector is anxious about the upheaval facing it, she didn’t want to rush things and so that meant ensure that they get things right.

Senator Moncion asked about the gap in the Official Languages Act, and loopholes therein. Joly responded with the investments made and talked about the durability of official language minority communities, which was why they launched an official strategy on Francophone education and early childhood education outside for Quebec.

Senator Dagenais asked another festival promoters becoming millionaires in Quebec at the expense of artists, to which Joly talked about protecting the Canadian nature of these festivals.

Senator Jaffer asked about the bilingualism action plan, and how immigrants are not informed about services available to them in French. Joly said that in the new action plan, it was the first time that the government was providing funds to organisations to help newcomers adjust to Canada.

Senator Dupuis asked about the intellectual property rights of authors, to which Joly noted that the Commons committee is looking at the issue, while the issue of fair use is currently before the courts, so she wouldn’t comment on that.

Senator Larry Smith asked about the Canada Infrastructure Bank not being able to give service in French in contravention of its status as a Crown corporation. Joly said that they were working on the issue and the new head of the Bank was fully bilingual and he was expected to uphold their commitments. Smith asked for more of a commitment, and Joly said she intended to hold the Bank to its obligations.

Overall, while Joly was fairly concise with her responses and kept up a quick pace, I had a hard time keeping track of her responses, and I’m wondering if it’s because they were filled with a lot of bafflegab that talked around some of the issues that were being asked. Perish the thought. That said, I found her response to Senator Housakos’ question a bit over the top in terms of immediately leaping to accusations of partisanship, particularly as she had an answer to the substance of what he asked for, but I suspect there may be a bit more history there than was apparent on the surface.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Senator Patricia Bovey for a red dress and jacket, and to Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais for a dark grey suit with a white shirt and maroon bow-tie. Style citations go out to Senator Larry Smith for a tan brown suit with a butterscotch shirt and brown tie, and to Senator Raymonde Gagné for a black dress with various striped blocks throughout it.