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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 69

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 11, 2022 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 69 - May/11/22
Hon. Candice Bergen (Portage—Lisgar, CPC)
  • May/11/22 2:22:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month. Over six million people of Asian heritage live in Canada and have enriched our country with their unique cultures, languages and traditions. I am proud to note that Douglas Jung, the first Chinese-Canadian MP, Bev Oda, the first Japanese-Canadian MP, and Nelly Shin, the first Korean-Canadian MP, were proud Conservatives. As we celebrate this year’s theme of “Continuing a Legacy of Greatness”, I encourage all members of the House to take time to learn about the inspiring stories of Asian-Canadians who stood up to injustice and worked to overcome barriers. In spite of the challenges they have faced, Asian-Canadians have made countless contributions to Canada. In medicine, music, literature and business, Asian-Canadians have blessed Canada and added to the incredible richness of our country. Let us all celebrate these contributions and learn more about the ways in which our country was shaped by Asian-Canadians. Happy Asian Heritage Month.
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Context: House Hansard - 69 - May/11/22
Mrs. Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ)
  • May/11/22 6:26:45 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-11 
Madam Speaker, I remember the discussions we had about Bill C‑10 during the previous Parliament, especially with respect to potential breaches of freedom of expression and concerns about social media users being taxed. These same concerns are being raised again, even though the summary, clause 2 and clause 4.1 clearly state that users will not be taxed and even though there are no clauses that restrict freedom of expression. I now want to talk about access to culture. It is not right that it is easier for francophones to access Korean content than it is to access media in their first language on some sites. Out of curiosity, I watched a few of the Korean offerings suggested to me and I enjoyed the production, set design and costume quality. Bill C‑11 will ensure that francophones have access to content that is just as good a quality in their language and will ensure that non-francophones can do what I did and watch content that is made in Quebec and in Canada. Curiosity is something to be developed. If we want to encourage curiosity and interest, we need to make it easier to access good-quality content, and that is what Bill C‑11 will do. Some members will tell me that people who want access to francophone culture just need to seek it out like I did, but that is a troubling thought. Why should I have to go looking for expressions of my culture when others never have to look at all to have access to expressions of their own culture? Are those who might say such a thing really telling me that the only good culture is culture that is readily accessible, or in other words, American culture? Could it be that they have no problem with the fact that they have no access to content about their own culture, Canadian content? Could it be that they think Canadian culture and American culture are similar? I can almost hear those same individuals telling me that those two cultures are not one and the same. In that case, why would they not want more people to have easier access to Canadian culture? Why would they not want francophones and francophiles from Quebec, Canada and elsewhere in the world to have access to Quebec and francophone content just as as easily as they do to American or anglophone cultural content? Bill C‑11 will allow online streamers to broadcast culture and improve access to the cultures present in Canada. To sum up, for anyone who cares about their own culture, Bill C‑11 is a good bill that deserves to move through the legislative process in good faith on all sides. It deserves it because we should never have to let our culture be managed by a foreign culture.
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