Statement made on 15 April 2008 by Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette
Hon. Céline Hervieux-Payette (Leader of the Opposition):
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce is currently conducting a full study of the provisions of Bill C-10. There is a provision on page 346 of the bill that would allow the government to withhold tax credits from Canadian film productions for public policy reasons.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage appeared before the committee and defended the principles that led her government to the drafting of this legislation. However, CBC Radio has a recording that seems to suggest that the Minister of Canadian Heritage told senior members of the government caucus the opposite. In fact, one senior member of the government caucus commented, "She told me she hates the law."
Can the Leader of the Government in the Senate tell us the Minister of Heritage's real position on Bill C-10? Does the minister really hate the new proposed law and if she does, does she hate all of it or just certain parts of it?
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