Question Period Notes
About this information
In accordance with the Access to Information Act, the government proactively publishes the package of question period notes that were prepared by a government institution for the minister and that were in use on the last sitting day in June and December.
The question period notes may be partially or fully redacted in accordance with the legislation; for example, if the notes contain information related to national security or personal information. (Learn more about exemptions and exclusions.)
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The Speech from the Throne, delivered on September 23, 2020, reiterated plans to ensure that revenues of online platforms is shared more fairly with Canadian creators and media. On October 22, 2020, News Media Canada released a report on the Sustainability of Journalism in Canada. It underlines the importance of credible news to a democracy, details the deteriorating state of the news sector in Canada and recommends that Canada pursue a model similar to Australia, putting in place a framework that would allow news media organizations to collectively bargain with online platforms. A number of news articles have made reference to the findings of the report, underlining the estimates that news publishers could recover $620 million in annual revenues.
On October 20, 2020, Telefilm Canada joined Netflix, the National Bank and the Canada Media Fund as a major partner of the Being Black in Canada program of the Fabienne Colas Foundation. The Fabienne Colas Foundation, a professional non-profit artistic organization, is dedicated to the advancement of education and diversity through the arts as well as to support for the creation, production, promotion and distribution of cinema, art and culture both nationally and internationally. Being Black in Canada is the largest mentorship, training and creation program in Canada entirely dedicated to Black filmmakers. The Canada Media Fund announced its support for the Being Black in Canada program in July 2020.
The Government of Canada is operationalizing the Essential Services Contingency Reserve (ESCR) to provide essential services workers with access to personal protective equipment (PPE), non-medical masks and disinfection products to meet urgent, short-term needs.
The World Rugby Union (WRU) released its approved Transgender Participation Guidelines on October 10, 2020. These guidelines recommend that transwomen not play contact rugby on the basis of safety and fairness. Transmen will be permitted to participate in men’s contact rugby. Rugby Canada has taken the position to not adopt these recommendations at the domestic level and to continue with their current Trans Inclusion Policy. WRU has indicated that Unions will have the flexibility to determine how to best address trans inclusion in their jurisdiction on a case by case basis.
An article in the Toronto Star has suggested that the working while on claim provisions under EI are less generous than those of the Canada Recovery Benefit.
The LGBTQ2 National Monument will memorialize the historic discrimination against LGBTQ2 Canadians, including the LGBT Purge. On January 23, 2020, the National Capital Commission’s Board of Directors approved a site for this monument located at the north-east side of the intersection of Wellington Street and Portage Bridge, in proximity to Library and Archives Canada and the Ottawa River.
International students in Canada or planning to study in Canada have been impacted by the health and travel restrictions imposed to address COVID-19 pandemic. The Department has put in place measures to assist international students during these uncertain times.
To address the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation, the Government committed to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, including Call to Action 81, which calls for the creation of a Residential Schools National Monument in Ottawa to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities. Work on Call to Action 81 is in the early planning stages, specifically regarding engagement with Indigenous peoples.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #89, calls upon the federal government to “amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to support reconciliation by ensuring that policies to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being reduce barriers to sports participation, increase the pursuit of excellence in sport and build capacity in the Canadian sport system, are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples”. The 2003 Act sets out the Government of Canada’s policies regarding physical activity and sport as well as the mandate of the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport) in respect of physical activity and sport.
Given that changes to the legislation will require consultation with other federal government departments in collaboration with the Aboriginal Sport Circle, discussions with Indigenous sport stakeholders have concluded that this will be a longer-term deliverable.
Ensuring that national sports policies, programs and initiatives are inclusive of Indigenous peoples
The Government of Canada is committed to fulfilling the sport-related Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.