Question Period Note: TV5 Multilateral Partnership and Creation of a Francophone Digital Platform

The Government of Canada is one of the five funding governments of the TV5 Multilateral partnership. In 2018 and 2019, Canada has been chairman of TV5’s work. On November 21, 2018, in the Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced its investment of $14.6 million over five years, beginning in 2019-2020, for the creation of a francophone digital platform.

• TV5 provides francophone Canadian creators, artists and producers with a privileged showcase on the international market.
• As President of TV5’s work in 2018 and 2019, Canada used this forum to showcase Canadian Francophonie.
• In order to protect and promote the French language internationally, we must ensure the presence of strong francophone voices in cyberspace.
• Our Government supports the creation of a francophone digital platform that brings together public broadcast of TV5MONDE with a new financial investment.
• This past fall, in providing the $6 million planned towards this new francophone digital platform, our Government has fulfilled its commitment.

• The Charte de la Francophonie designates TV5 as a direct and recognized operator of the Francophonie Summit.
• TV5 was created in 1984 out of a partnership between France, Switzerland and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (WBF). Canada and Quebec joined the Partnership in 1986. TV5 is the largest French-language television network in the world managed by two channel operators: TV5MONDE and TV5 Québec Canada (TV5QC).
• TV5MONDE receives financing from five funding governments based on a formula of ninth parts: 6/9 France, 1/9 WBF, 1/9 Switzerland, and 1/9 Canada (60 percent) and Quebec (40 percent) gathered. Current financing is about 100 million euros (approximately $155 million) out of a total budget of 110 million euros (approximately $165 million). In 2018, Canada paid 5,054,200 euros (approximately $7,834,010), while Quebec paid 3,302,800 euros (approximately $5,119,340).
• TV5QC receives financing from the governments of Canada and Quebec governed by a rule of 60 percent (Canada) and 40 percent (Quebec). Current funding from both governments is over $2.3 million, or $1,380,000 from Canada and $920,000 from Quebec, out of a total budget of more than $16.7 million. Managed by TV5QC’s management team, UNIS does not receive funding from governments.
• The two governments also contribute $1,460,000 (Canada) and $880,000 (Quebec) respectively for the release of the rights to Canadian programs broadcast on the various TV5MONDE signals and its digital platforms. For 2019, these two governments will contribute an additional one-time sum of $150,000 from Canada and $100,000 from Quebec.
• Since January 2018, Canada has been chairing TV5’s work and will do so until the end of 2019. This responsibility is assumed in turn by each of the partner governments. It is reflected in the hosting of the annual meetings of senior officials responsible for TV5 and possibly a ministerial conference.
• The next meeting of senior officials responsible for TV5 will take place on December 2 and 3, 2019 in Banff at which Canada will hand over the responsibility of the presidency to France for 2020 and 2021.
• In October 2018, during the Francophonie Summit held in Erevan (Armenia), the Canadian Prime Minister and the President of France expressed their desire to work with TV5 partners towards the creation of a new world-wide digital francophone platform as a concrete step towards protecting and promoting the French-language on the Internet.
• On November 21, 2018, during the fall Economic update, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $14.6 million over five years beginning in 2019-2020 towards the creation of a new francophone digital platform bringing together TV5MONDE’s public broadcasters.
• Canada's goals in supporting the development of the platform is aimed to increase the presence of French-language content on-line, as well as to offer increased visibility of Canadian content and increased distribution opportunities for Canadian creators and producers. In addition, it will increase “discoverability” and ease access to French-language and Canadian programs on the world stage.
• The launch of the francophone digital platform "TV5MONDEplus" is expected for the foreign market in September 2020. Although the platform will not be available in Canada, its content will be partially available through other means, such as TV5QC. These restrictions are intended to avoid competition with Canadian broadcasters regarding Canadian programming.
• TV5 NUMÉRIQUE is subsidiary of TV5QC which was created in the fall of 2019 for a five-year term specifically to administer the Canadian investment of Francophone digital platform. The first meeting of its Annual General Meeting of Members (AGM) was held on October 21 and its first Board of directors was held on October 22, 2019.
• In fall 2019, the Government of Canada fulfilled its commitment regarding this new francophone digital platform by providing to TV5 NUMÉRIQUE $6 million: $1,752,084 (September 5, 2019) and $4,247,916 (November 27, 2019).

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