The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation provides a great window into Canadian culture (as it is) and gives Canadians a platform to interact with each other to express and share their views. The CBC also provides news and commentary that is not vetted by commercial interests before going to air as it is a publicly funded broadcaster. Being publicly funded allows the CBC to promote a more diverse set of opinions that more accurately reflect the diverse nature of our country.
Dissident views and public oversight/scrutiny are two qualities Harper’s Conservatives despise. Hence, under the guise of “austerity” and “economic necessity” they are doing their insipid best to ruin the CBC for all Canadians.
“Lacroix said the Corporation expects to eliminate 650 jobs over three years, including 475 this fiscal year. He said 60 per cent of the budget goes toward salary and that it would be impossible to take a hit of this magnitude and not affect jobs. Nearly 10,000 people are currently employed full time at the CBC.
Kirstine Stewart, executive vice-president, English Services, said $43 million worth of programming will have to be cut out of the English Services budget, meaning that some current shows in prime time will have to be cancelled and that viewers can expect more repeats.”
You know how much the CBC costs each Canadian? $34 dollars. That friends, for the service provided is a fantastic deal. Carol Maszur beautifully articulates what this means to her and Canadians –
“The billion plus the Government spends on the CBC, on our behalf, is some of the best money ever spent. We get terrific value for that money, world-class journalism, world news coverage, unparallelled coverage of Canadian news national, regional and local, strong promotion of Canadian culture (Canada Reads, Canadian musicians, authors), thorough coverage of pressing issues in Canada and abroad, unbiased, non-commercially influenced material. CBC belongs to the Canadian people and has lasted for over three quarters of a century . It is as relevant now as it was when it was first established. We need the CBC more than ever, with the blurring of countries and cultures. This venerable institution is not to be tinkered with but supported and celebrated.”
Well said Carol. Let’s not destroy the CBC as it is one of Canada’s most important institutions.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
3 comments
April 11, 2012 at 10:26 am
cyberclark
It is worse than that my friend! Harper is trashing every program that makes us Canadian! Name it; Parks, Pensions, Water and now a move on dairy and farm.
The things he targets are those which are on the US Republican list of things that are troublesome for their business.
During the last campaign I told the media world that Harper was going to do more damage in his term than the then popular NDP could do on their worst day! It will play out to be true.
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April 14, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Bryan Crockett
The Americanization of Canadian politics is truly frightening. The above poster, cyberclark, puts it well. Every many of the institutions that Canadians value, such as the CBC, healthcare, Canada Pension Plan, Parks, and Katimavik, just to make a few, are being put on the chopping block so that the old Reform Party crew can have their dream of a “small government” in Canada.
The true hypocrisy here comes in the form of the Harper government’s reckless and irresponsible spending. It seems like they are more interested in fake lakes than the welfare of the Canadian people.
Direct lies during the last election campaign: – maintaining CBC funding, – maintaining funding for seniors, – maintaining healthcare funding.
Canada deserves better.
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April 14, 2012 at 4:29 pm
The Arbourist
Canada deserves better.
Agreed Bryan. If it was not happening to us right now, I’d be savoring the sweet irony of our small government fiscally conservative – Conservative party spending our dollars like a drunken sailor on shore leave. With their anti-science/anti-reality bent (jets? more prisons? hello??), I fear much damage will be inflicted on the Canadian people.
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