OTTAWA – Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly has created an advisory committee tasked with compiling and submitting a list of potential candidates for the Board of Directors at CBC/Radio-Canada.
The independent, non-partisan committee, announced Tuesday, consists of experts in broadcasting and digital technology, representatives of cultural sectors from across Canada, Indigenous Peoples, official-language communities and youth, reads the announcement.
The committee, who will serve a six month term with the possibility of extension, will provide the Minister with the names of qualified candidates for each vacant position, as well as supplementary qualified candidates to create a pool to fill posts in the future.
"Our government firmly believes in the importance of our national public broadcaster, CBC/Radio‑Canada”, said Minister Joly, in the announcement. “I am pleased to establish this independent advisory committee composed of experts in broadcasting, digital technology and culture, who reflect Canada's diversity. This new committee will recommend qualified candidates for a selection process that is open, transparent and based on merit."
Chaired by veteran Canadian TV journalist Tom Clark, the committee includes:
– Prem Gill (British Columbia) started her career in the television and broadcasting industry. She has more than 20 years' experience in digital media, content creation and entertainment;
– Carolyn Warren (Alberta) is a leader in the Canadian cultural sector and has experience with art and broadcasting institutions;
– Janelle Wookey (Manitoba), is a Francophone Métis woman from the Prairies and an award-winning artist who works as an independent director and producer in Winnipeg;
– Colm Feore, O.C. (Ontario) is a well-known theatre, film and television actor;
– Marc Beaudet (Quebec) is a pioneer in the digital content industry in Quebec. He is president and CEO of Turbulent, a company that develops broadcasting platforms;
– Monique Savoie (Quebec) is a digital visionary who in 1996 created the Société des arts technologiques, a creative Montréal space dedicated to technological development;
– Alanis Obomsawin, O.C., G.O.Q., C.A.L.Q. (Quebec) is a member of the Abenaki Nation and one of the most distinguished documentary filmmakers in Canada. For more than 40 years, she has been producing films at the National Film Board of Canada that tell about the lives and concerns of First Nations and deal with issues that are important to everyone;
– Éric Larocque (New Brunswick) is active in projects related to Acadia and to his community, particularly those that deal with youth. He is director of the organizing committee for the 2021 Games of La Francophonie.
Under the Broadcasting Act, CBC/Radio‑Canada's Board of Directors is composed of 12 directors, including a chair and a president/CEO, appointed by the Governor in Council for a maximum period of five years.
The selection processes for the positions of chair, president/CEO, and part-time directors are posted on the Governor in Council’s website here.
