Broadcasting - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 1 August 2024
BY EMAIL
Distribution list
Subject: Message from the CRTC Champion of Official Languages to the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group
Dear members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group,
I hope you are all enjoying the summer. As the CRTC’s Champion for Official Languages, and in anticipation of the upcoming meeting of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group, I would like to share with you a few updates on the Commission’s recent achievements and upcoming initiatives concerning official languages.
Recent achievements
As you know, the CRTC is firmly committed to implementing the new provisions relating to official languages which are contained in the Broadcasting Act and the Official Languages Act. These new obligations have led us to review the Commission’s internal and external practices, including regarding the way we communicate, engage and consult with official language minority communities (OLMCs).
Since the new Broadcasting Act came into force, the CRTC has increased its efforts for official languages. In particular, we engaged OLMCs during CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group meetings, and we held more than a dozen meetings with different stakeholders. To help the CRTC and its staff better understand the challenges and successes of creating content by and for OLMCs, Franco-Ontarian creators were invited to present two information sessions on producing a French-language television series in an OLMC. We have also made significant improvements to our website to ensure that the information and reports are up to date and pertinent.
Finally, the CRTC issued a series of key decisions in recent months which will certainly have a significant impact on the vitality of OLMCs, for example:
- by ensuring funding for Canadian audiovisual content, including content produced by OLMCs, through contributions made by online services; and
- by taking action to bring high-speed fibre Internet to five Inuit communities in northern Quebec, all of which are OLMCs, as well as the OLMC of Iqaluit.
Thanks to your commitment and many contributions, we have already succeeded in completing several projects, thus enabling us to make significant progress. In this regard, I am pleased to provide you with updates on other major projects that we are also currently working on.
Consultation on Commission practices and procedures
In order to better implement the consultation requirements set out in section 5.2 of the Broadcasting Act and section 41 of the Official Languages Act, the CRTC will soon be launching a public consultation on its consultation practices and procedures for OLMCs. This consultation will allow you to make your voice heard concerning the CRTC’s dialogue and consultation activities with OLMCs and other stakeholders on official languages issues. Following this exercise, the CRTC plans to implement consultation practices that are more transparent, equitable and adapted to the needs of OLMCs. The notice announcing the consultation will soon be published, and we strongly encourage you to participate.
In the meantime, the CRTC will continue to adapt its procedures and practices to the needs of OLMCs when a matter requires it, such as by granting additional time to OLMCs during a proceeding to allow them to submit their comments. This practice was recently used in a proceeding concerning an application from a French-language community radio station in Edmonton. In the winter of 2024, the CRTC also held engagement sessions organized specifically for OLMCs as part of its engagement sessions on definitions of Canadian content. These are just a few examples of how the CRTC continually seeks to improve its consultation practices with OLMCs.
Official Languages Consultation Group
On October 4, 2023, members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group from the community presented the CRTC with a Joint Statement as well as proposals to review the Discussion Group’s mandate and processes. We agree that the CRTC needs an ongoing mechanism for dialogue to further develop its own understanding of OLMC issues and characteristics.
For this purpose, I am pleased to announce that the CRTC will be establishing a permanent official languages consultation group, for which it will allocate the necessary financial and human resources. The particular mandate for this group will be to facilitate dialogue between the CRTC and OLMCs in order for them to share their views and experiences, provide the CRTC with feedback on the impact of its decisions, and request clarification or information on pertinent issues.
We are currently in the preliminary stages of establishing this group and determining how it will operate. In the meantime, the Discussion Group remains the preferred mechanism for maintaining dialogue and engagement with OLMCs and helping the CRTC meet its official languages objectives.
Next Discussion Group meeting
You have already received correspondence from us requesting your proposals for the location and discussion items for the next Discussion Group meeting scheduled for 23 September 2024. Once we have confirmed the location, we will also be able to confirm the presence of the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, Broadcasting. I can assure you that Ms. Eatrides and Ms. Théberge look forward to meeting and talking with you. A proposed agenda will be sent out once we have received your proposals.
We recognize that we still have work to do to improve our consultation practices and better reflect the changes brought about by the amendments to the Broadcasting Act and the Official Languages Act, but we remain committed to this work. We hope to be able to provide you with further updates this autumn. Your contributions to these projects are invaluable. Thank you for your dedication and openness, and I look forward to our next meeting with optimism and enthusiasm. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me or the other team members for more information.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Rachelle Frenette
Rachelle.frenette@crtc.gc.ca
Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, CRTC
Legal Services
c.c.: languesofficielles-officiallanguages@crtc.gc.ca
Liste de distribution / Distribution list:
Allen, Jennifer, jennifer.allen@canada.ca
Baron, Karine, direction@afnunavut.ca
Bessac, Florence, communication@ffcb.ca
Boucher, Daniel, danielb@sfm.mb.ca
Brown, Cathy, executivedirector@regdevnet.ca
Caissie, Jean-Pierre, jeanpierre.caissie@aaapnb.ca
CFRT-FM, bonjour@cfrt.ca
communications_FCFA, communications@fcfa.ca
conseiller@sanb.ca
Corbineau, Gaël, dg@fftnl.ca
Coté, François; f.cote@radiorfa.com
Cox, Kirwan, QEPCouncil@gmail.com
Dumas, Anne, dg@anim.ca
Doiron, Anthony, communications@snacadie.org
Emmanuelle Corne Bertrand, dg@ffcb.ca
FFT Communications, communicationsfft@franco-nord.com
Forgues, Simon, s.forgues@radiorfa.com
Gelbart, Arnie, AGelbart@galafilm.com
Henrie-Cadieux, Manon, strategies@fccf.ca
Hirsch, Kenneth, khirsch@pmaproductions.com
Kasongo, Vital, vkasongo@yahoo.ca
Kriner, Thomas, thomas@apcm.ca
Legault, Rita, rita.legault@qcgn.ca
Marchand, Mylène, presidence@afnunavut.ca
Masson, Marc, marc.masson@fransaskois.sk.ca
Maturo, Nick, nick.maturo@quebec-elan.org
Maynard, Hugh, hugh@quanglo.ca
Morin, Marie-Christine, mcmorin@fccf.ca
Nadon, Roch, rnadon@afy.yk.ca
Piché, Nathalie, nathalie.piche2@canada.ca
Pilon, Carol Ann, capilon@apfc.info
President Quebec-Elan, president@quebec-elan.org
Rioux, Marie-Claude, dg@federationacadienne.ca
Rooke, Barry, barry@ncra.ca
Roy, Norbert, dg@sanb.ca
Savoie, Carolyn, csavoie@monassemblee.ca
Sicard, Pierre, p.sicard@radiorfa.com
Sikorski, Anna, asikorski@actra.ca
Somers, Lindsay, lindsay@onscreenmanitoba.com
Starr, Peter, peterstarr1@aol.com
Tuyishime, Jean-de-Dieu, dgfft@franco-nord.com
Vachon-Chabot, Amy, a.vachon-chabot@acfa.ab.ca
Ventrone, David, davide.ventrone@qcgn.ca
Wellens, Brigitte, info@veq.ca
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