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Diversity of content online initiative

Question: What do you do to address online content that is increasingly personalized, reflecting fewer and more polarized points of view?

Answer: Because of how they operate, platforms often recommend highly personalized content. They also enable the rapid distribution of disinformation and harmful content.

To address the challenges associated to access and exposure, my Department established a Multi-Stakeholder Working Group, made up of representatives from G7 partners, like-minded countries, industry, and civil society organizations, and was mandated to develop the International Guiding Principles on the Diversity of Content Online. These were published in 2021.

These Guiding Principles are actions that governments, industry and civil society can take within the scope of their responsibilities to foster greater exposure to diverse cultural content, information, and news online.

Question: What is next now that the Guiding Principles are established?

Answer: Work is underway internally to identify the most effective next steps in supporting diversity of online content.

Canada performing art

Question: Based on recent news articles and advocacy from stakeholders, it seems that more performing arts organizations are struggling financially, with some recent significant organizational bankruptcies. What does PCH plan to do to address these conditions?

Answer: To support cultural sector organizations that were badly hit by the pandemic, the Government made significant investments in emergency support and recovery relief in previous budgets to sustain the sector.

However, the cultural sector has not yet fully recovered, with the live performing arts sector, in particular, continuing to lag amid challenging global economic conditions.

That is why the government has continued to make important investments in the arts and cultural sector through existing programs of both the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Question: What is PCH doing to improve working conditions for artists and other cultural workers?

Answer: Recovery in the cultural sector is uneven, with live performing arts continuing to lag behind the rest of the sector.

Low wages and ongoing economic precarity are persistent issues in the performing arts sector, which were exacerbated by the pandemic. Approximately 30,000 cultural workers in all occupations are estimated to have left the live performance sector during the height of the pandemic.

While employment in the overall cultural sector has recovered to well above pre-pandemic levels, employment in live performance is still 1.9% below pre-pandemic levels.

The Department continues to monitor the situation and is liaising with Employment and Social Development Canada to ensure the realities of the cultural sector are considered in the delivery of the Government’s employment insurance modernization commitment.

Culture in recent trade agreement

Question: How is culture protected in Canada’s recent trade agreements?

Answer: All of Canada's international trade agreements include an exception for cultural industries, which excludes them from key trade obligations.

This exception allows Canada to pursue its domestic cultural policy objectives while respecting the terms of its trade agreements.

The cultural industries exception is currently being pursued in all active trade negotiations.Footnote 1

Question: Is Canada’s cultural exception suitable for the digital environment?

Answer: The cultural industries exception has been designed to cover activities and cultural products regardless of whether they are produced or distributed in analog or digital form.

The provision provides Canada with the tools necessary to promote Canadian cultural content online and its strength lies in its adaptability over time and its flexibility to respond to a trade environment in constant evolution.

TV5

Question: What steps have you taken to ensure that Canada continues to meet its obligations under the international TV5 partnership?

Answer: This government is proud to be a partner of TV5 and to contribute to the influence of La Francophonie.

We are one of six donor governments to the TV5 multilateral partnership.

Canadian Heritage provides annual funding to the two TV5 operators:

Question: What steps have you taken to respond to the financial pressures facing TV5 Québec Canada and other public service broadcasters?

Answer: We fully understand the pressures faced by TV5 Québec Canada and other public service broadcasters who rely primarily on regulated subscription revenues to finance their operations.

The amended Broadcasting Act gives the CRTC the power to implement regulations that promote a more sustainable and enabling environment for public service media in Canada which, like TV5, currently enjoy distribution mandatory by cable broadcasters under CRTC regulations. But of course, the CRTC is an independent agency and it will make the most appropriate decisions in a timely manner.

In the meantime, we continue to monitor the situation closely and consider short-term options.

Museums Assistance Program

Question: How does the Government of Canada support museums and heritage organizations as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer: Canadian Heritage is proud to have delivered over $85 million in emergency and recovery funding to heritage organizations between 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, and we continue to support the sector through our regular funding programs.

In addition to its permanent components which fund projects related to collections management, travelling exhibitions, and Indigenous heritage, the Museums Assistance Program launched the Digital Access to Heritage component in 2021, with a budget of $20 million over three years. This initiative is providing up to $9 million in 2023-24 to support digital initiatives, including digitization of collections and the creation of digital content.

The Government of Canada also helps heritage organizations hire youth through the Young Canada Works (YCW) – Heritage program. In 2023-24 and 2024-25, the program is providing a total of $14.4 million dollars per year for the creation of over 1,700 summer jobs, short-term jobs and internships for youth studying and working in the heritage sector.

Question: How does the Government of Canada support small community museums across the country?

Answer: Through the Young Canada Works (YCW) – Heritage program, the Government of Canada helps heritage organizations hire youth through the YCW in Heritage Organizations (summer/short-term jobs for students) and YCW at Building Careers in Heritage (internships for graduates) components. In 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, a total of $14.4 million per year in support will be available to heritage organizations of all sizes, including small and seasonal museums.

Small museums meeting eligibility criteria may also apply for support from the Museums Assistance Program, for collections management, touring exhibition and Indigenous heritage projects.

We recognize the many challenges faced by museums and heritage organizations, including museums in small and remote communities across the country, and hope to continue our support through the renewal of the Canadian Museum Policy.

Canadian Museums Association “Moved to Action” report (TRC-67)

Question: How will the Government of Canada support the implementation of the Canadian Museums Association’s “Moved to Action: Supporting UNDRIP in Canadian Museums” report’s recommendations in response to TRC Call to Action 67?

Answer: The Government of Canada recognizes the important role of Canada’s museums and heritage sector in advancing the reconciliation process with Indigenous peoples, and for their contribution to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.

The Museums Assistance Program continues to support the Canadian Museums Association in its efforts to help Canadian museums fulfill some of the recommendations in the report and has provided $102,000 in funding in 2023-24 to develop and implement various learning activities and resources for museum professionals.

Canadian Heritage will also consider the CMA’s “Moved to Action” report’s recommendations in the context of the review of the National Museum Policy. As part of the consultation process to renew the policy, the Department consulted and engaged with Indigenous heritage organizations, knowledge keepers, experts, and Modern Treaty Holders, and the results of these engagements may lead to changes to current programs and services that support Indigenous organizations and repatriation activities.

In the Action Plan published in June 2023 by the Department of Justice to help implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act, the following measure was put forward by Canadian Heritage: “Co-develop with First Nations, Inuit Treaty Organizations or their designates, and the Métis Nation, a distinction-based comprehensive approach, which will include legislative, programming and/or service measures, to enable the repatriation/rematriation of Indigenous cultural belongings and ancestral remains.”

Question: How does the Government of Canada support Indigenous self-determination in the preservation and protection of their cultural heritage?

Answer: The Indigenous Heritage component of the Museums Assistance Program supports the preservation, presentation, and management of Indigenous cultural heritage in Canada, and seeks to increase public awareness and understanding of the rich and diverse cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

Through this component, the program supports Indigenous heritage organizations and museums for projects such as exhibitions, educational activities, workshops and oral history projects, as well as training, professional development, and the development of policies and procedures aimed at improving the management of cultural heritage.

Although Canadian Heritage does not have a dedicated national program to support the repatriation/rematriation of Indigenous cultural property, a modest amount of funding has been provided under the Indigenous Heritage component of the Museums Assistance Program and the Moveable Cultural Property Grant Program for eligible projects involving the recovery of belongings from collections in Canada and abroad.

The Coronation medal program

Question: When will Coronation medals be produced and distributed?

Response: On May 6, 2023, Canadians celebrated the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the first coronation of a Canadian Head of State and Monarch in seven decades. In parallel of the Coronation Service held in London, the Department of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of the Government of Canada, held a celebration in honour of His Majesty’s Coronation in Ottawa. In addition, the Prime Minister announced the Government of Canada’s intention to produce and distribute 30,000 Coronation medals to Canadians.

Question: Who will be eligible to receive the Coronation medals once they are available?

Response: Medal programs are a great way to celebrate and thank extraordinary people for their tremendous contributions to their nation, as well as inspire others to help build a better country. Canadian honours are respected around the world as a system of recognition that is merit-based, apolitical and accessible.

On May 3, 2023, to acknowledge the special relationship between His Majesty King Charles III and Canada, the Prime Minister announced the Government of Canada’s intention to award 30,000 Coronation medals to Canadians who have made significant contributions to the country, a province, territory, region or community, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada. The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (Chancellery of Honours) will be responsible for administering the Coronation medals program and further details on the design and distribution of the medals will be available from them in the coming months.

His Majesty King Charles III’s First Official Canadian Portrait

Question: Why is an official Canadian portrait of His Majesty King Charles III being made available to Canadians and when will it be distributed?

Response: As a constitutional monarchy, His Majesty King Charles III is King of Canada and Canada’s Head of State. His role in Canada is independent of his role in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, and having an official Canadian portrait reflects this distinction.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Government of Canada reached out to Buckingham Palace to obtain an official Canadian portrait of The King. In the meantime, Canadian Heritage has prepared a distribution strategy to ensure that Canadians have timely access to the portrait once it is received from Buckingham Palace. More information on its availability will be communicated in due course.

Question: To whom will The King’s first official Canadian portrait be distributed?

Response: When available, the first official Canadian portrait of His Majesty King Charles III will be available for Canadians to download, through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s website. A limited quantity of print copies will also be made available to Canadians. Ordering information will be provided in due course.

Print copies will also be distributed to federal and provincial institutions as well as external stakeholders who have ties to the Crown in Canada, who have requested or shown interest in royal portraits, or who have played a key role in recent events related to the Crown in Canada. These include parliamentarians, vice-regal representatives, federal and provincial protocol offices, Canadian missions abroad, Canadian ports of entry, military and federal police forces, and veterans’ associations, among others.

Recovery and Reopening Funds

Question: Could you explain the purpose and status of the Recovery and Reopening Funds?

Answer: Over the course of two years between 2021 and 2023, the $300-million Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors provided support to organizations that struggled due to the pandemic, while the $200-million Reopening Fund supported organizations and projects that deliver in-person experiences or events that draw visitors to our communities.

These funds helped heritage organizations to continue to care for their heritage collections, provided targeted recovery support for not-for-profit professional arts organizations, enabled sporting events, and sustained local festivals.

Question: Do you have examples of specific impacts of the Funds on recipients?

Answer: To give examples of impacts, in 2021-2022 alone this funding:

2023-24 Main Estimates – Canadian Heritage

Question: What were PCH’s Main Estimates totals by vote for 2023-24?

Answer: The 2023-24 Main Estimates total resources listed for the Department of Canadian Heritage is $1.9 billion of which $202.9 million is for Vote 1 (Operating expenditures), $1.7 billion is for Vote 5 (Grants and Contributions), and $29.3 million is for Statutory Authorities.

The 2023-24 Main Estimates represent a net decrease of $244.3 million from 2022-23 Main Estimates.

Question: What are the main contributing factors to the net decrease in the Main Estimates for 2023-24?

Answer: The net decrease for 2023-24 is mostly explained by the sunset and decrease of funding for the following initiatives:

Other changes in funding which are almost offsetting each other are:

The above decreases in funding are partially offset by the following increases:

Note that in the 2023 Budget, the government announced a total of $870 million allocated to Canadian Heritage to finance initiatives supporting the screen sector, Canadian content, local arts and heritage, official languages, combatting racism and sport. The department will also receive $57 million over three years for the Creative Export Strategy. This funding is not included in the 2023-2024 Main Estimates of Canadian Heritage but will be reflected in future supplementary budgets.

2023-24 Main Estimates – Portfolio Organizations

Question: What were the Portfolio Organizations’ Main Estimates totals for 2023-24?

Answer: The 2023-24 Main Estimates for the Canadian Heritage Portfolio organizations are $2.4 billion, a decrease of $37.0 million or 1.5% over 2022-23 Main Estimates.

Question: What are the main contributing factors to the 1.5% net decrease in the Main Estimates for 2023-24?

Answer: The 1.5% decrease is primarily explained by the below outlined changes in the 2023-24 Main Estimates of the following organizations:

The decreases are partially reversed by the following increases:

Budget 2023 announced $90 million for initiatives for Canadian Heritage portfolio organizations. This funding is not included in the 2023-24 Main Estimates but will be reflected in upcoming Supplementary Estimates.

The 2023 Budget announced:

Budget 2023

Question: What supports were provided by the Government to the arts, culture and heritage sectors in Budget 2023?

Answer: Budget 2023 kept the Government’s focus on the growth and competitiveness of Canada’s arts, culture and heritage sectors through targeted investments in under-served and hardest-hit communities, including:

The Government will also continue to showcase Canadian culture and heritage at home and abroad through:

Question: Apart from the supports provided in Budget 2023, what other funding has the Government provided to assist the arts, culture and heritage sectors?

Answer: In the past few years, the Government has provided historic levels of supplemental support, first to sustain the arts, culture and heritage sectors through the closures and most severe impacts of the pandemic, and subsequently to position them for long-term competitiveness and growth as recovery continues. These include:

Refocusing Government Spending Initiative (Budget 2023)

Question: What is the total amount of spending reductions that Canadian Heritage must implement following Budget 2023’s announcement around refocusing Government spending?

Answer: Budget 2023 announced government-wide spending reductions of $15.4 billion over five years (from 2023-24 to 2027-28) and $4.5 billion annually thereafter.

The reduction amount by department, including Canadian Heritage, will be disclosed in a 2-step approach:

Question: Will the Refocusing Government Spending Initiative have an impact on delivering Canadian Heritage’s mandate?

Answer: The Department is committed to responsibly managing Canadians’ tax dollars by ensuring that operations and programs are effective, efficient, and directed toward priorities.

Reviewing spending and programs is an essential part of responsible management, and it will allow to optimize resources or to better align them on government priorities in delivering on the department’s mandate.

Question Period Card – Minister of Canadian Heritage

Issue

Supplementary Estimates (A) - 2023-24

Update

August 28, 2023

Source

Various

Synopsis

The 2023-24 Supplementary Estimates (A) was approved on June 22, 2023 and represents a total net increase of $19.7 million for the department.

Recommended response

The net impact for Canadian Heritage is a Vote 1 – Operating increase of $7.5 million, a Vote 5 – grants and contributions increase of $11.0 million, and a Statutory appropriation increase of $1.2 million.

Background

The President of the Treasury Board tables the Supplementary Estimates in order to obtain Parliament’s authority to adjust the government's expenditure plan, as reflected in the Estimates for that fiscal year.

The Supplementary Estimates seek authority to revise spending levels, which Parliament will be asked to approve in an Appropriation Act. They inform Parliament of changes to the estimated expenditures that will be made under the authority of statutes previously passed by Parliament.

The net increase for the department of Canadian Heritage is explained by funding to support the following items:

Appropriations to be adopted:

New funding

Funding for the Renewal of the Creative Export Strategy – Total: $18,396,158 (including statutory)

Canadian Heritage is receiving a total of $57 million of dollars in funding ($19 million per year for three years, starting in fiscal year 2023-24) to renew Canada’s Creative Export Strategy (“the Strategy”). The Strategy’s objective is to help Canadian creators maximize their export potential and stand out in the global market. As such, funding provided will be used to maintain investments in the Strategy’s programs and services, which will provide direct support to Canadian businesses and organizations to amplify the international reach of and stimulate the export of Canadian creative works.

Funding to support the modernization of the Official Languages Act – Total $1,295,158 (including statutory)

Canadian Heritage is seeking funding of $1.3 million in 2023-24 to support the modernization of the Official Languages Act (the Act) and Canada’s language regime, including the development and monitoring of legislative and administrative proposals related to a modernization bill. The funds will be managed by PCH. The commitment to modernize the Act was made in both the 2020 and 2021 Speech from the Throne, and included in the supplementary mandate letters of January 15, 2021, for the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and the President of the Treasury Board.

Prepared by: Isabelle Niquette (819) 898-6540

Manager of Communications: Dominique Langlais (613) 898-5481

Director General: Véronique Côté (613) 410-1032

Assistant Deputy Minister: David Dendooven (819) 639-1038

2022-23 Public Accounts

Question: How much did your department spend in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22?

Answer: The department spent a total of $2.3 billon in 2022-23, of which $2.0 billion was for grants and contributions. This represented an increase of $294.1 million (15%) when compared to the previous year. This increase in spending is largely due to the continued support provided to the Arts, Culture, Sport, Official Languages and Heritage sectors in the efforts deployed to recover and re-open after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question: How much funding did the department lapse in 2022-23?

Answer: As reported in the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, the surplus in operating expenses was $6.8 million or 2.5% of authorizations which will however be made entirely available in fiscal year 2023-24 as it was well within the Department’s carry-forward limit.

The surplus in grants and contributions was $97.5 million (out of $2 billion), or 4.6% of authorizations. A total of $10.1 million of the surplus in grants and contributions was also reprofiled to 2023-24 (as per noted below).

The grants and contribution surplus stem from the following programs:

Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC)

Question: What are the steps taken by Canadian Heritage to recall the funding provided to the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) after the contract was terminated?

Answer: The Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities of Canada, Minister Kamal Khera, is the lead on the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) file given the funding in question was from the Multiculturalism Program. However, I can confirm that the Department of Canadian Heritage has pursued different avenues to recover $122,661 in funds issued to the CMAC since December 2, 2022, including the following:

As well, the Department has dedicated efforts and resources on implementing lessons learned and continue the development and implementation of a Program Integrity Risk Management Framework to mitigate the likelihood of such a scenario occurring in the future, as well as to be better equipped to respond to a similar issue should the risk materialize again.

Background: Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC)

(original language of the motion is English)

Given that, the Department of Canadian Heritage approved ‘anti-racism’ grants upwards of $130,000 to Laith Marouf of the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) despite his open and repeated history of racist, antisemitic, violent and anti-francophone language, and that, after 8 months of the Department of Canadian Heritage confirming that they have revoked the grant funds and requested a return in full, the Department has yet to receive any of the revoked funding.

The committee:

  1. Demand the immediate return of all government grant funding awarded to Laith Marouf;
  2. Call on the Government of Canada to collect the revoked grant funds by any means necessary, including legal action;
  3. Hear testimony from the Minister of Heritage on this matter within one week of this motion being adopted;
  4. Report this to the House.

During this same meeting, Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Liberal MP – Vancouver Granville, BC) proposed the following amendment:

The Committee instruct the Government of Canada to continue to use all efforts to collect all government grant, funding awarded Laith Marouf and that officials report to this Committee within 30 days their progress on recuperating the funds.

(original language of the motion is English)

Given that, the Department of Canadian Heritage, under the leadership of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, approved ‘anti-racism’ grants upwards of $130,000 to Laith Marouf of the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC), on October 21, 2022, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez appeared before the Heritage Committee, during which time he was asked by a number of [members of Parliament] about the date he was made aware of Laith Marouf’s derogatory remarks about Jews and Francophone sand the minister reported to the Committee that he was not informed until after August 22, 2022, [and given that] an article by the Globe and Mail and an Access to Information Request indicate emails circulated from the former Diversity and Inclusion Minister, the Honourable Ahmed Hussein, his former chief of staff, Minister Rodriguez’s former Chief of Staff, and the Deputy Minister at Canadian Heritage between August 17th and August 19th, 2022, including one sent to Minister Rodriguez’s personal email account titled “Laith Marouf and antisemitic hate speech,” the Committee invite the former Minister for Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, to appear before the committee as soon as possible for no fewer than two hours to clarify his remarks concerning Laith Marouf, and that the committee report its findings to the House..

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2024-03-28