Bill S-7 was sent back to the House of Commons for a vote unchanged although some members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage did want changes made. The bill’s sponsor, Liberal MP John Harvard, and Bloc Québécois MP Christiane Gagnon wanted small broadcasters to be exempt from subsidizing third-party interventions to the CRTC. The bill proposes to amend the Broadcasting Act to allow public and consumer groups to recoup part of their costs associated with intervening in CRTC broadcasting proceedings, with industry players footing the bill (CCR, Apr. 25/02). The committee had to suggest changes to the bill by June 4 or it would be sent back to the House of Commons unchanged.

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