This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 10 wordsmy colleague from Mirabel is a tough act to follow.Positioning Claims · 18 wordsThat said, I would like to point out that there are excellent apples in the riding of Shefford. Thanks · 35 wordsI thank my colleague for giving me this opportunity to salute all the apple growers, who have wrapped up a great harvest season, one that is so important to the economy and agri-tourism in Shefford.Thanks Procedure · 16 wordsToday I am speaking on a topic that is not discussed enough here in the House, ProcedurePositioning · 9 wordsbut which is so very important to our identity: PositioningProcedure · 1 wordsculture.Procedure Claims · 77 wordsHaving studied journalism, I naturally have a particular interest in the media, especially local media. Furthermore, as the member for Shefford, I am fully aware of the magnificent cultural ecosystem that exists in the riding of Shefford. Examples include the Festival international de la chanson de Granby, the École nationale de la chanson at Cégep de Granby, the Palace—a magnificent cultural institution in Shefford—and the Maison de la culture de Waterloo.1 They breathe life into our economy, Thanks · 17 wordsand I would like to pay tribute to all those who contribute to this magnificent cultural ecosystem.Thanks Positioning · 16 wordsIn the Bloc Québécois, we are keen to talk about our culture here in the House.Positioning Promise · 22 wordsWe are also looking forward to working on this issue with our colleagues who have just been elected to the National Assembly.Vague promise Claims · 46 wordsLike my colleagues, I want to take this opportunity to welcome them. In particular, I want to welcome Jean‑François Arsenault, the new MNA for Granby; 2Nathalie Boisclair, the new MNA for Daniel-Johnson; 3and Camille Pellerin‑Forget, the new MNA for Iberville, who has just joined the cabinet.4 Positioning · 17 wordsI am sure that we will find allies willing to talk about culture because it is important.Positioning Claims · 87 wordsEven so, these are tough times for those working in the cultural sector. That is why this Bloc Québécois motion seeks to restore the funding sources for culture that the Liberal government took away from Quebec artists and cultural enterprises when it abandoned its policies and regulations because the major American streaming platforms refused to comply with them. However, let us not forget that those platforms’ business activities in Canada generate billions of dollars in profit every year.5 We are asking them to comply with Canada’s laws. Procedure · 7 wordsI will give a bit of background.Procedure Claims · 215 wordsLet us remember that on May 21, 2026, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the CRTC, issued a regulatory policy based on the Broadcasting Act that was intended to force online streaming companies to triple their investment in Canadian programming by allocating 15% of their revenue to the creation of local content, rather than 5%.6 Thirty per cent of that amount was to be allocated to French programming.7 This CRTC decision is particularly important when it comes to the discoverability of French content. It was also intended to ease the burden on traditional broadcasters by decreasing their current contribution of 30% to 45% to just 25%.8 Thus, the modernized framework proposed by the CRTC set this contribution at 25% for traditional broadcasters and 15% for online streamers. Total contributions were to represent a stable contribution level of over $2 billion for Canadian programming, a figure that would serve as a floor, not a ceiling.9 What is more, companies in both these sectors with annual revenues of $100 million or more were also required to allocate a minimum of their revenue to programming produced by francophone minority communities.10 Let us not forget that Canadian revenues earned by U.S. streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and Prime Video are estimated at no less than $4 billion, 11Positioning · 6 wordswhich is quite a significant amount.Positioning Claims · 14 wordsFollowing the release of the CRTC’s cultural policy, there was a political chain reaction. Procedure · 3 wordsThree things happened.Procedure Claims · 29 wordsFirst, the American companies refused to contribute. Second, the Conservative Party defended the United States and digital billionaires. Third, the Liberal government backed down and overturned the CRTC’s decision.12 Positioning · 9 wordsThe major American streaming platforms got up in arms.Positioning Claims · 33 wordsApple, Amazon and Spotify were already before the courts to challenge the previous obligation to contribute only 5%.13 What is more, Meta is still blocking the sharing of news on Facebook and Instagram, 14Reasoning · 7 wordswhich has an impact on local media. Thanks · 14 wordsI would like to commend Marie‑Ève Martel for her book entitled Extinction de voix, 15ThanksReasoning · 9 wordswhich reminds us of the importance of local media. Claims · 14 wordsIt is certainly not easy to get advertising when news stories are not shared. Positioning · 15 wordsIn short, things are starting to get complicated for local media in today’s media ecosystem.Positioning Claims · 16 wordsIn fact, the Conservative Party sided with the U.S. web giants, citing fears of U.S. retaliation, 16The ask · 30 wordsand called on the government to block the CRTC’s decision so as not to require Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and others to invest 15% of their revenue in Canadian local content. Claims · 58 wordsThe leader of the Conservative Party even expressed concern that Donald Trump might increase tariffs in response to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 17or CRTC, decision. He even wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, 18and the Liberal Prime Minister listened. Let us not forget that, under the CRTC’s policy, Canadian companies contributed more than American companies.19 Procedure · 12 wordsHowever, between American and Canadian companies, the two leaders made a choice: ProcedurePositioning · 25 wordsThey chose American companies. Faced with the appetite of U.S. web giants, the Liberal Prime Minister decided to put Quebec’s cultural industry on the menu.Positioning Claims · 35 wordsAs we know, on June 3, 2026, less than two weeks after the CRTC adopted its Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2026, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture ordered the CRTC to review its new policy.20 Reasoning · 21 wordsHowever, by announcing the new requirements for large foreign streaming services, the CRTC was acting pursuant to the Online Streaming Act, 21Claims · 40 wordswhich was passed in 2023 and sought to modernize the Broadcasting Act to include and regulate online streaming platforms.22 The act requires the CRTC to modernize the broadcasting framework and ensure that online streaming services contribute significantly to Canadian content.23 Positioning · 16 wordsThe reasoning behind the Online Streaming Act and the CRTC’s regulatory policy remains just as valid.Positioning Claims · 20 wordsThe transformation of the ways people can access cultural content has moved a significant portion of audiences toward digital platforms. Reasoning · 5 wordsThat has to be acknowledged. Claims · 27 wordsAudience habits have changed. Traditional broadcasters are required to contribute to the funding of the broadcasting system, but digital platforms are not subject to the same rules. Reasoning · 19 wordsThe Online Streaming Act aims to fix this by making all companies that benefit from the Canadian market contribute. Claims · 68 wordsBy suspending the CRTC’s policy, the government is doing more than undermining the democratic process that led to the adoption of the act and the levies policy. It also raises serious concerns about the CRTC’s mandate and its role in shaping cultural and communications policy. The CRTC regularly holds hearings or public consultations, at which members of the public, businesses, artists, associations and community groups have their say.24 Reasoning · 21 wordsIn other words, government intervention is actually quite a shift away from the usual model of governance for culture and communications. Positioning · 12 wordsOne might even say that this is yet another setback for democracy.Positioning Claims · 36 wordsThis is precisely why Catalina Briceño, a professor at the School of Media at the Université du Québec à Montréal, said that the argument of affordability used to justify scrapping levies for online platforms is misleading, 25Reasoning · 20 wordsbecause online companies can still raise their prices and the government has gained nothing in return for scrapping the levies. Claims · 14 wordsIt has not even secured a commitment from the platforms to not raise prices. Reasoning · 14 wordsThe liberal argument regarding affordability can also be refuted based on the European experience, Claims · 10 wordswhere similar policies have not caused prices to go up. Positioning · 6 wordsThe European Union stood its ground.Positioning Claims · 47 wordsIt adopted the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, enabling member states to impose financial obligations on online streaming platforms.26 France requires contributions of up to 20% of revenue generated within its territory, a point also raised as an argument by the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.27 Positioning · 52 wordsTime is running out. Bloc Québécois members could talk about this for a long time because we are passionate about protecting our culture and our language. At the end of the day, the Liberal Prime Minister may as well have said that Quebec culture is too expensive and American entertainment is better.Positioning Claims · 20 wordsThat is what prompted Union des artistes president Tania Kontoyanni to describe the whole situation as catastrophic and deeply discouraging.28 Promise · 28 wordsTo save face when it suspended the levy on web giants, the Liberal government pledged $600 million per year in public funds for Canada’s audio and audiovisual industries.29 Claims · 6 wordsThat money has yet to materialize.30 Positioning · 24 wordsEven more absurd is the fact that Ottawa is offering to pay, on behalf of streaming platforms, the levies that fund Canadian content creation.31Positioning Reasoning · 14 wordsIn other words, taxpayers will have to foot the bill instead of American billionaires. Positioning · 20 wordsThis is completely absurd. Essentially, the government is offloading its responsibilities—adopting regulations, raising enough revenue and properly supporting culture—onto Canadians.Positioning The ask · 43 wordsThis is why the Bloc Québécois motion calls on the government to “make the interim payment of $600 million promised to the cultural sector for the current year” and to “uphold the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s decisions imposing levies on streaming services”.32 Positioning · 20 wordsWhat is really sad is the fact that the government not only sacrificed culture, but got absolutely nothing in return.Positioning Promise · 8 wordsWe will continue to speak out against that.Vague promise Procedure · 10 wordsWith that, I am ready to answer my colleagues’ questions.Procedure
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