Bill C-420
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1st Session, 37th Parliament, 49-50 Elizabeth II, 2001
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House of Commons of Canada
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BILL C-420 |
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An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act
(reduction of violence in television
broadcasts)
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| Preamble
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Whereas violence is a major cause for
concern in our society;
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Whereas, under the Broadcasting Act,
broadcasting licensees take full responsibility
for the programs they broadcast;
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Whereas it is recognized that the
broadcasting of violent scenes is one of the
factors related to violence in society;
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Whereas censorship is not a solution;
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Whereas the creative freedom of workers
in the television industry must be protected;
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Whereas it is also necessary to assume
responsibility for the protection of children;
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Whereas the broadcasting industry has its
own codes and classification systems against
violence on television, instruments that have
been approved by the Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission;
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And Whereas the number of violent scenes
broadcast on television during the hours when
children watch television, namely, before
9 o'clock p.m., has nevertheless increased;
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| 1991, c. 11
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Now, Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate and House of
Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
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1. Paragraph 3(1)(d) of the Broadcasting
Act is amended by striking out the word
``and'' at the end of subparagraph (iii), by
adding the word ``and'' at the end of
subparagraph (iv) and by adding the
following after subparagraph (iv):
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2. Subsection 5(2) of the Act is amended
by adding the following after paragraph
(b):
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3. The Act is amended by adding the
following after section 10:
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| Regulations
concerning
violence
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10.1 (1) The Commission shall make a
regulation governing the broadcasting of
violent scenes, including those contained in
programs intended for persons under the age
of twelve years.
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| Idem
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(2) At least once every five years, every
broadcasting undertaking shall be examined
by the Commission to verify its compliance
with the regulation on violence under
subsection (1), and failure to comply with the
regulation will be punished according to law.
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| Annual report
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(3) Six months after the coming into force
of the regulation on violence and every year
thereafter, the Commission shall publish a
report on the administration of the regulation,
including the sanctions imposed to enforce the
regulation.
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| Five-year
review
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10.2 (1) Five years after the coming into
force of the regulation on violence referred to
in subsection 10.1(1), the Commission shall
review the regulation, its operation and its
effectiveness, with a view to evaluating its
ability to meet its objectives.
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| Public hearing
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(2) The investigation shall include a hearing
during which members of the public may
make representations orally or in writing.
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| Report
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(3) Not later than six months after the date
on which the review begins, the Commission
shall submit a report to the Minister stating its
findings, including any recommendations for
amendments to the regulation or the Act, and
the Minister shall cause the report to be laid
before each House of Parliament on any of the
first fifteen days on which that House is sitting
after the day the Minister receives it.
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| Coming into
force
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4. Section 3 comes into force one year
after the day on which this Act is assented
to.
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