Broadcasting Services

Historical Perspective

Prior to the introduction of television in the House of Commons in 1977, only special parliamentary events, such as openings of Parliament and addresses by distinguished visitors,95 were broadcast. The question of radio and television broadcasting was debated in the House in 1967 and 1969, and referred to a procedure committee in 1970.96 The committee’s report, presented in 1972, discussed the concept of an “electronic Hansard” whereby radio and television coverage would be a faithful record of proceedings and debates in the House, in the same sense as the written Debates.97 This approach was to become a guiding principle in the broadcasting of House proceedings. However, Parliament was dissolved before the committee’s recommendations could be considered. A feasibility study was undertaken in 197498 and on January 25, 1977, the House adopted the following motion:

That this House approves the radio and television broadcasting of its proceedings and of the proceedings of its committees on the basis of the principles similar to those that govern the publication of the printed official reports of debates; and that a special committee, consisting of Mr. Speaker and seven other members to be named at a later date, be appointed to supervise the implementation of this resolution.99

The special committee chaired by Speaker James Jerome made the necessary decisions as to lighting, camera placement and other matters. During the summer recess, the Chamber was refitted extensively and on October 17, 1977, coverage of the proceedings of the House of Commons began.100

In 1989, a consortium of cable television companies and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation jointly proposed a new specialty cable channel, to be called the Canadian Parliamentary Channel (Cpac), which would broadcast the House of Commons proceedings, as well as other public affairs programming. A committee undertook a study of this proposal as part of a wide-ranging review of broadcasting of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its committees.101 In its final report,102 the committee endorsed the Cpac proposal. The committee also found existing camera guidelines unnecessarily strict.103 Although the report itself was not concurred in, a motion endorsing the Cpac proposal in principle was agreed to by the House.104 Further enhancements proposed by the committee were taken up by the House and implemented.105 In 1992, the House authorized the use of a greater variety of camera angles during the coverage of Question Period and of recorded divisions.106

In 2003, the Special Committee on the Modernization and Improvement of the Procedures of the House of Commons approved the launch of the ParlVU service to the public. ParlVU is an online service that carries live and on-demand televised parliamentary proceedings from the Commons chamber and certain committee rooms, and the live and on-demand audio from all non-televised public committee meetings. The listener may choose between English, French, or floor audio, and high or low-resolution video.107

Authority and Jurisdiction

At an early stage, well before the House agreed to the broadcasting of its proceedings, it was clear that control of any such broadcasting system, including the safeguarding of the electronic Hansard concept, was to remain with the House and under the supervision of the Speaker acting on behalf of all Members.108

In support of this principle, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs has as part of its permanent mandate the duty to review and report on the radio and television broadcasting of proceedings of the House and its committees, and to deal with any complaints from Members in connection with such broadcasting.109

Current Arrangements

The broadcasting service provided by the House ensures that the daily proceedings of the House are captured, archived and distributed. In addition, the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)110 broadcasts House and committee proceedings via cable and satellite services located across the country. Viewers have access to live proceedings of the House, the daily replay of Question Period, and televised committees.

The broadcast system is integrated into the architecture of the Chamber so as not to offend existing decor. Committee and House proceedings are broadcast and recorded from the opening of business until adjournment and distributed to outside users without revision or editing.111

Chamber Proceedings

The Chamber is equipped with cameras operated from a control room, invisible from the floor of the House. The recording of the proceedings is governed by guidelines, intended to preserve the concept of the electronic Hansard, as adopted by the House.112 The camera focuses on the Speaker or on the Member who has been recognized by the Speaker. During debate, camera shots are restricted to the head and torso of the Member speaking, and the microphone is positioned in order to pick up only his or her voice. Reaction shots, split screens and cutaway shots are not permitted. In order to give viewers a better appreciation of the “context and dynamic of the House”, wider camera angles showing more of the House and its Members may be used during Question Period and the taking of recorded divisions.113

Committee Proceedings

The resolution adopted by the House in 1977 also applied to the broadcasting of committee proceedings; however, the special committee implementing radio and television broadcasting determined that further study was necessary before committee proceedings could be broadcast.114 In the next Parliament, the Speaker was asked to rule on the question of whether a committee had the power to televise and decided that, since no guidelines had been established, the broadcasting of committee proceedings could be authorized only by the House itself.115

Beginning in 1980, a number of committees received permission from the House to broadcast their proceedings on a single-issue basis, that is, to broadcast a single meeting, or all the meetings held with respect to a particular order of reference.116 In 1991, the House adopted a rule codifying the requirement that committees seek the consent of the House to use House facilities for broadcasting. This new rule also required the then Standing Committee on House Management to establish experimental guidelines which, when concurred in by the House, would govern the broadcasting of committee meetings.117 In 1992, the House concurred in the Committee’s report recommending the audio broadcast of all public committee meetings and the equipping of one committee room for television broadcasting, with an evaluation to be made by the Committee after six months.118 In April 1993, the House agreed to continue these broadcasting arrangements on a permanent basis, subject to ongoing review by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.119 In 2001, the House granted access by the electronic media to any public committee meeting held within the Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa, subject to certain guidelines.120 Later that same year, the House concurred in the report of the Special Committee on the Modernization and Improvement of the Procedures of the House of Commons, which recommended that a second committee room be equipped for televising by the House of Commons on a gavel-to-gavel basis.121 A third committee room has since been equipped.

Access to Broadcast Materials

Members may view the live broadcast of House or committee proceedings in French, English or the floor language (i.e., the actual language of debate, without interpretation) on an in-house, closed-circuit television network. In addition, the ParlVU service, available online, carries live and on-demand televised parliamentary proceedings from the Commons chamber and from committee rooms hosting televised meetings, and the live and on-demand audio from all non-televised public committee meetings. This webcast is accessible by other media by permission of the Speaker.122 The broadcasters that carry CPAC, provide service in French, English or floor sound.123 In June 2003, the Board of Internal Economy approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the then National Archives of Canada and the House of Commons, whereby the Archives would assume the long-term responsibility for the care and preservation of the moving image archives, as part of Canada’s records heritage.

In order to continue providing Members with on demand services, the House of Commons maintains access to video and audio of the current Parliament, and up to 10 years of past Parliamentary proceedings. Members may retrieve and replay any part of the audio-only or televised House and committee proceedings from the ParlVU service portal.