Marc Miller

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be able to rise in the House, on our side of the House, to represent members, including about 50 from Quebec, who rise time and time again to vote for culture in Quebec and Canada, with historic investments that no other government has ever made in the history of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to be at TIFF over the last week and connect with creators from Canada and around the world. I had the opportunity to sign two co-production agreements: one with the United Kingdom and the other with Spain. This is part of a network of 60 agreements that we have around the world that generate about $500 million in our economy. They need the support of the Canadian government, but at the same time, it reinforces our cultural sovereignty, which we need to do now more than ever.

Mr. Speaker, francophone culture and the French language are our identity, and we will never back down. When it comes to discoverability, the same applies to the web giants. They have a responsibility to help promote our local artists, without exception.

Mr. Speaker, only the Bloc Québécois could stand up in the House and exhibit such intellectual laziness by claiming that we are not investing in culture. Over the past two budget cycles, we have invested more than $2 billion in culture.

Mr. Speaker, our government allocated $1.3 billion to culture, yet the Bloc Québécois treats that with contempt. The real betrayal is a party that shows up in Ottawa every day to destroy my country. It is ridiculous. Since they are already in vacation mode, I wish them a happy Saint‑Jean‑Baptiste Day and a happy Canada Day.

Mr. Speaker, suffice it to say that I am aware of these allegations, but I think the member would join me in saying that it is not the place of the minister or any member of the House to dictate museum policy and what is curated and what is not.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for reading her question with such conviction. While the Bloc Québécois spends its time loafing about, we are taking action. In the last budget, we invested $772 million in arts and culture. During my last press conference, I announced $600 million for culture, including Quebec culture. I almost forgot the $100 million that was invested in the creative export strategy, which allows programs like Empathie and TV5MONDE programs, which include Quebec television programs, to reach foreign audiences.

Mr. Speaker, while the Bloc Québécois spends its fourth decade here in Ottawa getting absolutely nothing done, we are taking action. In the most recent budget, we invested $750 million in the National Film Board of Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada and Telefilm Canada. Now, Bloc members are turning their noses up at $600 million per year. They did not read the press release. We are taking action. We are investing in Quebec and Canadian culture.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by wishing a happy Portuguese Heritage Month and a feliz Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas to all Luso-Canadians. Since the 1950s, generations of Portuguese immigrants have come to Canada and today nearly half a million Canadians trace their roots to Portugal. Across every sector, Luso-Canadians continue to enrich our society through their hard work, talent and commitment to their communities, including in this House. It is a chance to reflect on the values that unite us and to celebrate the diversity that makes us strong.

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-34, An Act to enact the Digital Safety Act and the Digital Safety Commission of Canada Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Mr. Speaker, only the Bloc Québécois would stand up in the House and vote against three-quarters of a billion dollars for culture, for CBC/Radio-Canada, for Telefilm Canada and for the National Film Board of Canada. Next, the Bloc Québécois members are going to turn their noses up at the $600 million offered to a cultural sector that we love and must support. While they pretend to support culture, we are taking action.

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more disastrous than that kind of question, especially coming from someone who was once the president of the Association québécoise de l'industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo, or ADISQ. Earlier, ADISQ said that it was a good investment. We Liberals will invest in culture while the Bloc Québécois members keep pretending to help while doing nothing.

Mr. Speaker, while my colleague is spouting nonsense and talking about betrayal, we will continue to invest in Quebec and Canadian culture, not by waiting for years but by investing now. It is a bit rich for the member opposite to be talking about betrayal when he shows up in the House of Commons every day to try to destroy the country that I love.

Mr. Speaker, at least the Conservatives are honest enough to say they do not care about culture. Now Bloc Québécois members are standing up in the House, one after another, to vote against culture, that is, against the $750 million in the latest budget for Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada, Radio-Canada, and so on. The height of hypocrisy is that they are voting against $600 million for the cultural industry. It is a massive amount, it is immediate, and it is going to be effective for our content producers.

Mr. Speaker, it is a good thing that the leader of the Bloc Québécois is no longer the president of ADISQ, because yesterday, ADISQ said that this was immediate relief until a permanent solution is found. Of course, thanks to Bill C‑11, we certainly expect people and web giants to pay their fair share.

Mr. Speaker, we always take what is happening in Canada seriously. What is not serious is the Conservatives' rhetoric. For 10 years, they have been talking about productivity. Now, in the last quarter, productivity is rising, and they are saying absolutely nothing. That is hypocrisy, plain and simple.