“Culture is important, which is why we put $770 million into it in the budget. The Bloc voted against that money. Big internet companies make money here, so they should pay to support our culture too. Our first plan did not work, so we are trying something new.”

“Mr. Speaker, I understand why this is important for everyday Canadians. This is an affordability question as well. The culture sector is important to Quebec, and we understand that. That is why in the 2025 budget we included $770 million for it. I do not understand why the Bloc Québécois would vote against that and now ask a question about why we are trying to put this bill to consumers. Just like how broadcasting is making money and paying it back, the giant Internet industry should be paying. It should not be taking this for granted. That is why we tried to do that. We realized it did not work, and we are trying something different.”

“Could my colleague explain more about her work on the Library of Parliament committee and how it helps the government support the arts and culture?”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about the work she was doing on the Library of Parliament committee and how it can inform the government’s continued support of the cultural sector. I wonder if she could elaborate on her support there and the work of that committee as well.”

“The Library of Parliament does important work and shares Canadian and Francophone culture. We also renewed our plan to help Canadian arts reach other countries. We are investing 95 million dollars over five years, and 19 million dollars each year after that, to attract talent.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Library of Parliament does very important work, and Canadian culture and francophone culture are exhibited through it as well. Canada’s creative export strategy is very important, and it was announced in the spring economic update that it was permanently renewed, with an investment of $95 million over five years and $19 million per year thereafter, so that we could attract talent and give equal—”

“Our government has invested over $1.5 billion in Canadian culture and the arts over the past year. Culture is part of who we are, it brings our communities together, and it adds tens of billions of dollars to our economy. Federal money helps fund local festivals, gardens, and artists in my riding, and I am proud that we support them.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to discuss support for the cultural sector today. Our government has always been committed to supporting culture and creators, as evidenced by the additional $600 million we are investing to support the cultural sector in Canada. That announcement from June is in addition to the funding already announced in budget 2025. Over the last 12 months, we have announced more than $1.5 billion in funding to support the cultural sector across the country. As a reminder, these investments are being made at a time of economic uncertainty. I think that speaks to the importance our government places on supporting culture. I believe supporting culture is crucial, because our culture is what brings our Canadian identity to life and reinforces our sense of belonging. Our cultural references are what make us truly Canadians. Culture is about telling our stories and our history. Culture is also our legacy for future generations. It is not frozen in time, because artists contribute to our evolving identity through their creations. In addition to being a central part of our Canadian identity, arts and culture are a driver of economic prosperity. We need only think of all the economic benefits that cultural events generate for Canadian communities. These include performances, festivals, art galleries, the tourism appeal of having a packed calendar of events, and the local jobs that these events create. According to the data, the cultural sector contributes tens of billions of dollars to the GDP every year, making it a major economic contributor. What is more, arts and culture contribute to the vitality of our communities. Cultural events and festivals are places for the community to gather. They strengthen the social fabric. When we see local creators succeed, it makes us proud. There is a wealth of local talent in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche. The whole community celebrates when local artists shine in major performances, in national or international music competitions, or in any other art form. It is always a joy to see local artists succeed. I want to take this opportunity to underscore the important work being done by our local cultural organizations and societies. Small community organizations are often the ones that keep culture alive, organize events, activities and different workshops, or program regular live performances and events. Without the work of teams and volunteers, our communities would go without the cultural activities they have now. While they often have few staff and limited resources, their volunteers are dedicated. I therefore want to commend the work of everyone involved in the cultural life of our society and thank them for it. I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the federal government’s support for these organizations. Through its various funding programs, the government provides support to the Société culturelle de la Baie des Chaleurs in my region, as well as organizations in Kedgwick, Hauts-Plateaux, Chutes and Saint-François, and the Centre des arts La petite église in Edmundston, to name just a few. Those are all cultural organizations in my riding that have all received federal funding over the past year through various programs, enabling them to provide high-quality cultural programming to the people of our region. When we talk about supporting the cultural sector, we must also support the venues and institutions where culture is brought to life in our communities. Let me give a concrete example. In my region of Madawaska, the New Brunswick Botanical Garden is an important contributor to the cultural vitality of the area. In addition to showcasing our local flora and offering visitors the opportunity to explore beautiful themed gardens, the botanical garden also hosts numerous cultural events throughout the year that regularly receive support from the federal government. I am thinking in particular of the Sortie branchée en Acadie, which is an event that takes place every August. It is a truly festive occasion at the Botanical Garden. There are musical performances by local and visiting bands, which bring together many people from the community. Many people come from all over to see the talented musicians performing at the Botanical Garden. It is also a time for families to come together. There is a whole range of activities, particularly cultural activities. For the 2026 event, the federal government contributed close to $20,000. In the fall, in early October, I attended the Grande Grouille festival at the Botanical Garden, another important event in my region. The Grande Grouille is truly a special event because the Botanical Garden is decked out in fall colours. There are Halloween decorations and thousands of pumpkins, some of which are lit up. Visitors can stop by during the day or night. A whole range of activities are available, including musical performances. Children paint pumpkins in schools. Competitions are also organized. It really is a wonderful, community-building event, which attracted over 25,000 visitors this year. Again, I am happy that our government contributed in various ways to this event’s success. As part of the building communities through arts and heritage program, the botanical garden received $30,000 to organize the Grande Grouille and Jardin emballé. Jardin emballé will take place in November. I was saying that the Grande Grouille is a celebration of fall. Jardin emballé will offer a taste of Christmas magic. There will be a big public market showcasing local makers. There will be music again. This is another example of a cultural event hosted at the botanical garden, and I am very pleased that my government contributed to it. When I talk about supporting arts and culture, I also think about how important it is to support our festivals. I can say that, during the summer, there is a lot going on in the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche. There is an event every week. There are tons of festivals livening up our communities. They bring people together and attract visitors to our region. They give local artists a chance to perform on stage. They also allow us to welcome artists from outside the area. There are farmers’ markets where local artisans can showcase their products. All these summer activities keep our communities vibrant and contribute to the cultural life of the region I represent. Through various programs, the federal government provides some of the funding for our festivals. I am thinking in particular of the Grand Falls Potato Festival, the Saint-Quentin Western Festival, the Kedgwick Fall Festival, the Salmon Festival, the Campbellton Bluegrass Festival, and the Sortie branchée en Acadie festival I just mentioned, to name just a few examples. These events bring our communities to life and contribute to our cultural vitality, and I am very pleased to see, once again, that our government is supporting these types of events. Speaking of arts and culture, I would like to highlight a special event that takes place in my riding. The Rendez-vous des artistes is held every year in Saint‑Léonard, in the municipality of Vallée-des-Rivières. This symposium is the largest gathering of painters and sculptors in the maritime provinces, giving visitors the opportunity to see more than 100 artists at work in one place. It is really amazing because they set up huts along the paths in a park, so people can walk the whole route and admire the work of artists from New Brunswick and beyond. Last summer, I had the opportunity to speak with some artists. They told me that the symposium in Saint-Léonard is often their favourite summer event, particularly because of the warm welcome they get and the layout with the huts. This year, the federal government once again provided funding to the Rendez-vous des artistes to support the organization of this event. I want to highlight this because, when we talk about supporting the cultural sector, I think of events like this one in Saint-Léonard. It is a cultural hot spot and brings a community to life. It helps to showcase artists and sculptors from New Brunswick, as well as those from elsewhere. Since we are discussing the various programs that support culture, I would also like to mention the Celebrate Canada program. This program provides funding for major celebrations, including Canada Day and National Acadian Day. National celebrations in Ottawa certainly have their place, but we must also celebrate locally, thereby honouring our Canadian identity, or our Acadian identity on August 15. It is essential that local communities have the resources they need to organize celebrations during the summer, whether on July 1 or August 15. Those are very busy days indeed. We tour my whole riding of Madawaska—Restigouche to experience all the different celebrations taking place, and I can confirm that federal funding is a big help, especially considering that budget 2025 doubled the funding for National Acadian Day this year. This made a tremendous difference for our communities. It ensured that we could have amazing festivities, hire local talent and truly celebrate our Canadian and Acadian identity. In closing, let me reiterate that supporting culture and creators is a priority for our government, as evidenced by the concrete measures we are taking, the many different programs we are offering and the investments of more than $1.5 billion we have made over the last year alone.”

• Echo ×4

  A repeated line

  “Let me give a concrete example.”

  Said 4 times by 3 members since April 24.

  Every time it was said →

“Our government gave over $1.5 billion to arts and culture in the past year, plus an extra $600 million. I meet regularly with arts groups, including French-speaking groups outside Quebec, to make sure our programs meet their needs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to my colleague that the $600 million was in addition to the investments already provided for in budget 2025. More than $1.5 billion has been invested to support the cultural sector in the past 12 months alone. I meet with representatives from many cultural organizations in my riding, as well as from national organizations working in the arts and culture sector. We are working together to determine whether the current programs meet their needs. Sometimes we have discussions about how we could improve certain programs to better meet the needs of different creators. I am thinking in particular of organizations that represent the francophone cultural community outside Quebec. I speak regularly with key players in this community, and support for the cultural sector is one of the topics we discuss.”

“The old system gave no money to cultural groups on the ground. Our plan gave them $600 million this year. At the same time, we are still working on our online streaming rules and talking with other countries.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, whom I miss on the Standing Committee on Official Languages now that he is no longer a member. I would like to point out that, under the old approach, no amount of money reached the cultural communities on the ground. Under the approach we have promoted, this year, $600 million has been allocated directly to support cultural communities. We are also working on a new strategic direction for the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. As we continue that work, and while we are also holding discussions with our international partners—indeed, Canada does not operate in a vacuum either—we are providing money directly on the ground. That means we are able to do both of these things at the same time.”

• Didn't answer
  ?

  Reply to a debate question

  Relevance 46 of 100

  None of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

  See full analysis →

“The government doubled funding for National Acadian Day. I want the member to explain why this money is important and how it helps minority language communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche for his speech and for his work on official languages. In his speech, he mentioned that the government had doubled the funding for National Acadian Day. Could he talk about the importance of this funding and its impact on our official language minority communities?”

“Our government doubled the funding for National Acadian Day and made it permanent. This helps our communities celebrate Acadian culture and fund our yearly August 15 concert.”

“Mr. Speaker, Acadian civil society had been calling for this for a long time, so I am very pleased that we not only doubled the funding for National Acadian Day, but also made it permanent. This funding enables our local Acadian communities to celebrate our Acadian identity in a big way. August 15 is an important day for us, and it is integral to our identity as Acadians. It is when we come together as a community and express our pride. We hold tintamarres, make music and participate in a wide range of family activities. This funding gives our communities the means to celebrate on a grand scale. It also helps us organize and fund the big August 15 concert, which was held in my colleague’s riding this year and will take place in Campbellton, in my riding, in the summer of 2027. I am really looking forward to taking part in that event next summer.”

• Off topic
  ?

  Reply to a debate question

  Relevance 24 of 100

  None of this statement addressed the specific topic under debate.

  See full analysis →

“Our cultural sector needed money right away, so we are giving it $600 million this year. We can support these artists now while we keep working on rules for online streaming.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would say that the key word in my colleague’s question is “could have”. No money was paid to the sector. However, this year, over the next few months, $600 million will be distributed to support the cultural community thanks to the approach we have taken. In fact, we have already announced that we are working on a new policy direction for the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. While we were discussing the best approaches with our international partners and looking into these issues, we were aware that the cultural sector needed an immediate injection of funding. That is why we announced an investment of $600 million this year. We can provide funding and continue to work on implementing the act at the same time.”

“Life is too expensive right now. Raising fees for the broadcast regulator will only increase costs for people in Quebec. It is the wrong time to do this.”

“Mr. Speaker, we are currently going through an affordability crisis. Does my colleague understand that hiking contributions to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission will increase costs for Quebeckers? Is this the right time to do something like that? Is it justified?”