OTTAWA – CBC/Radio-Canada will challenge the legal recourse filed by Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages earlier this month “in the interest of protecting its programming independence”.
“The Commissioner of Official Languages should not have jurisdiction over the Corporation’s programming”, said Maryse Bertrand, CBC/Radio-Canada’s VP of real estate, legal services, and general counsel, in a statement. “It would be inappropriate for him, or another third party, to be able to dictate what kind of content CBC/Radio-Canada should air. It’s in the public interest that the Corporation’s editorial independence be protected. That independence is at the very heart of the public broadcaster’s mission.”
The decision should “in no way be interpreted as a sign that the Corporation is lessening its commitments and obligations toward official-language minority communities”, the ‘pubcaster added.
“The Corporation remains firmly committed to providing official-language minority communities with the best possible programming, while remaining mindful of its overall responsibilities and the requirement to balance its budget”, the statement continues. “Moreover, CBC/Radio-Canada has substantial obligations under the Broadcasting Act when it comes to official languages in its programming – obligations that it fulfills vigorously and enthusiastically, and for which it is accountable to the CRTC."
