TORONTO – Two unions representing employees at CBC/Radio-Canada used the 80th anniversary of the first public radio broadcast in Canada to call for increased “federal government supports” to strengthen the public broadcaster for future generations.
The Corporation was launched on November 2, 1936 to ensure Canadians had access to news and programming that reflected the country's values, aspirations and interests. In a joint statement Wednesday, the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) and Syndicat des Communications de Radio-Canada (SCRC) issued the following demands to the Feds:
– a new non-partisan process for selecting CBC/Radio-Canada president and board, in place prior to the end of the current president Hubert Lacroix's term in 2017;
– “adequate” funding to enhance local news coverage capacity and to ensure all Canadians, regardless of geography, technology or financial ability, can access quality news and cultural programming;
– re-investment in original Canadian production and the regulations to support that, to ensure production of diverse, independent content;
– increased funding from the current $29 per capita to $43.50, which they say is half of the amount that other “developed democracies invest on average in their public broadcasters”; and
– a halt to sale of CBC/Radio-Canada real estate and equipment and “all other decisions that hinder the ability to create Canadian content”, as outlined in CBC’s current Strategy 2020 plan.
"We share Canadians' pride in the remarkable work of the dedicated media professionals who continue to produce news and other programming in French, English and Indigenous languages, across our vast country, a service unmatched by any other public broadcaster," said CMG president Carmel Smyth, in the statement. "This significant milestone is a timely reminder of the vital role the CBC continues to play, and the very real threat of its end due to cuts in funding, staff and content production capacity."
"The public has been promised and expect more from the new federal government," added Johanne Hémond, president of SCRC, the French union for CBC/Radio-Canada workers in Québec and Moncton. "Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is leading a major review of Canadian news media and culture, and we hope the results will include innovative and progressive policies to ensure citizens can rely on the public broadcaster for original programming that will continue to reflect our country for the next 80 years."
