By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – The CRTC team involved in the co-development of a new Indigenous broadcasting policy said it could use a government-commissioned panel report to guide its process, according to a confidential document released to this publication.
The undated document highlights several areas from the report by the broadcasting and telecommunications legislative review panel, released in late January, “which could help guide its own work, particularly where they prove consistent with issues discussed during early engagement sessions.” The three-phase review began in September 2019 with the engagement sessions and will be followed by a public consultation process and then preliminary views by the CRTC, which is to be presented to Indigenous participants for further review at a later date.
The CRTC policy team bolded sections of the BTLR report that are of interest, including those pertaining to the creation and access to content by and for Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous languages content; funding for Indigenous content made for and by Indigenous peoples; a legislated advancement and promotion of Indigenous peoples, culture and languages in the CBC/Radio-Canada mandate; ensuring Indigenous and minority representation when hiring for CBC’s chair, president and board of directors; and affordability and access to telecommunications for Indigenous peoples and communities (Canadian Heritage appoints CBC directors).
It also highlights a part of the report that recommends that the CRTC — in amending the CRTC Act to require the creation of a Public Interest Committee — “should be encouraged to meet with representatives of Indigenous Peoples and communities outside of the Committee structure.”
Furthermore, it bolds the section with “special measures” to meet the needs of language minorities and Indigenous peoples and communities with respect to a successful content ecosystem requiring local and community content “through a variety of sources including small private players or public ones such as educational broadcasters.”
Last month, the CBC said it would be accelerating progress on its diversity and inclusion plan for 2021-22. That plan, launched in 2018, includes picking half of all new hires for executive and senior management positions out of a field of Indigenous people, visible minorities or people with disabilities, while doubling the retention and promotion rates for those classes of people.
In an internal letter addressing the release of the BTLR report, CRTC chairman Ian Scott told Commission staff “there are no immediate steps to be taken following the issuance of this report. We will duly wait for the government to make its decisions and communicate them to us.”
The rest of the report redacts any recommendations or comments CRTC staff makes about BTLR. It also shows that the different divisions within the Regulator held a number of meetings earlier in the year to study and discuss the report’s recommendations and provide preliminary policy considerations for the regulator. One email asks staff what recommendations they found surprising and less surprising, which would be difficult to implement, and which should be prioritized by the CRTC.
In an email this week, CRTC spokeswoman Patricia Valladao said the regulator is “reading the BTLR and other public reports for information and consideration,” adding the Indigenous broadcasting policy process is still in its first phase.
A number of organizations have stepped forward to propose their own diversity and representation action plans. Telefilm said earlier this month that it will create four positions Black, Indigenous and people of colour. The Canada Media Fund (CMF) also this month said it would provide $13.3 million in emergency relief for those same classes of people.
Canadian Heritage announced the first phase of its $500-million Covid-19 relief fund would see $88.8 million allocated to the CMF and $27 million go to Telefilm. The second phase will include $1.74 million for Indigenous radio and television broadcasters. An APTN study late last year found Indigenous music contributed $78 million to the Canadian economy in 2018.
The federal government announced that its $585-million Connect to Innovate rural broadband program will see one-third of funding go to Indigenous-led organizations.
In one email on February 3, a senior analyst for the CRTC flagged the Indigenous Screen Office’s press release reaction to the BTLR report. In it, it said that it was encouraged by the recommendations on Indigenous content and broadband access, but was “disappointed that the report falls short by failing to recommend equity for First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples under the Broadcasting Act in the form of equal inclusion with French and English within the legislation.”
