Joly out at Heritage as Pablo Rodriguez named new minister

Former chief government whip Pablo Rodriguez is the new heritage minister, replacing the embattled Mélanie Joly, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday. Rodriguez has “a lot” of previous experience with this portfolio, independent broadcasting consultant Kelly Lynne Ashton said. She pointed out he was heritage critic from 2009 to 2011 and previously served as vice-chair of the heritage committee. “If we're going to have a cabinet shuffle, and we get someone who actually knows the file, that is fantastic,” she told The Wire Report in a telephone interview. Ashton described Rodriguez as a savvy politician, who will carefully think things through and avoid making rash decisions. Joly has faced a challenging mandate. She had to navigate an election promise to not tax international online services like Netflix Inc., while recommendations from committees and eventually the CRTC called for streaming services to contribute to funding Canadian media. The ongoing refusal to impose contributions or taxes on foreign streaming services didn’t play well with some groups representing the cultural sector or in Quebec. Joly, when asked by reporters about whether her new appointment as the minister for tourism, official languages and La Francophonie was a demotion, said she had she completed the goals laid out in her 2015 mandate letter. She pointed to her work on a new creative export strategy, doubling the Canada Council budget, as well as restoring funding to CBC/Radio-Canada. NDP heritage critic Pierre Nantel said in a phone interview Rodriguez had his work cut out for him. “I especially wish him the best if he agrees to do the right thing,” said Nantel, referring to speeding up the review of the broadcast and telecom acts, and taking action on the Canadian content funding recommendations the CRTC outlined in May. A panel of industry experts spearheading the review is expected to report back in January 2020. Joly announced the panel and the review in June, following the release of a CRTC report recommending telecom service pay into the Canadian content system while online services make “equitable” contributions. “The CRTC came up with the right conclusions, saying, that if we want Canadian content to still be there for the next generations, everybody will have to chip in,” Nantel said. While Nantel has been one of Joly’s harshest critics, especially towards the end of her mandate, he still expressed surprise that she was out of the role. Nantel said he believes that it’s an indication of the larger issues the ministry faces and he hopes that it will inspire a change in direction. “Mélanie Joly said she wanted to change the rules of the game,” he added. “Well, she didn't change one thing. She was so happy to say that she was going to address all the changes that needed to be done. Well, factually, nothing has been done.” Much of Joly’s three years as minister have been mostly characterized by consultation, first a year-and-a-half long review that resulted in the Creative Canada cultural policy in September 2017, which in turn asked the CRTC to report back on the state of content distribution models. When that report was released in late May, Joly responded with the launch of the broadcast and telecom acts review. At his own press conference earlier in the day, Rodriguez passed on the question as to whether this shuffle would indicate a change in philosophy when it came to a Netflix tax, having only been minister for half an hour. Ashton also pointed out there’s not much opportunity for huge changes, given the short amount of time before the next election in 2019. Rodriguez was elected to the Quebec riding of Honoré-Mercier in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections. Ousted by the NDP candidate in 2011, he returned to the seat alongside the resurgent Liberal party in the 2015 contest. He has a business administration degree from the University of Sherbrooke, and worked with environmental companies during his time out of office. The selection of Rodriguez has elicited positive reactions from the production industry. In a press release, Canada Media Fund (CMF) president and CEO Valerie Creighton said that Rodriguez’s “deep understanding” of the cultural issues in Canada “will give the screen-based sector and all Canadian cultural industries much-needed continuity.” As well, Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) national executive director Stephen Waddell agreed that Rodriguez’s critic experience will help prepare him for the role. “We look forward to continue working with him to strengthen our Canadian screen industry, promote Canadian talent and deal with the challenges of the digital shift,” said Waddell in a press release statement. Also announced Wednesday was a new role for Treasury Board president Scott Brison, who will also become minister of digital government services. A government press release said that means “he will continue his work to transform the Government’s digital services so they are designed for the people who actually use them and better serve Canadians.” — With reporting by Bryson Masse at bmasse@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Joly out at Heritage as Pablo Rodriguez named new minister

Broadcast | July 18, 2018

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Joly out at Heritage as Pablo Rodriguez named new minister

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