Future of CBC splits committee along party lines by Chris Cobb
Source : Ottawa Citizen
Itemized spending estimates sought by Conservatives
February 29, 2008
After a year of study, members of an all-party Commons committee have emerged divided on issues key to the future of the taxpayer-funded CBC.
Although there is broad general agreement on the majority of recommendations in a report tabled yesterday by the heritage committee, the Harper Conservatives are insisting that the CBC produce an itemized estimate of its future spending before they will commit to any new money.
The Conservative minority report is significant because it would likely become part of a blueprint for the future of the CBC if the Conservatives win a majority at the next federal election. Some CBC supporters say the Harper government has a hidden anti-CBC agenda that includes the downsizing of the English TV network.
The Conservatives and opposition Liberals refused to recommend fundamental changes to the patronage-based appointments of the CBC's president and board of directors. The Liberals and Conservatives did agree that a panel of experts could be used to make recommendations on board appointments, but said the final decisions should rest with the government of the day.
In its "supplementary opinion" the NDP insisted that, to avoid "any hint" of political interference, the heritage committee should be allowed to approve all board members and the CBC president should be appointed by the CBC board of directors and not by the government.
Ottawa-Vanier MP Mauril Bélanger, vice-chairman of the committee, hinted that there was disagreement between the Conservatives and Liberals on the governance issue.
"At the time we were discussing that, we were coming to the end of the report and we wanted it out, but there seems to be a willingness to go back at that in the near future," he said. "We are quite prepared to make significant changes, if need be."
While supporting a beefed up regional CBC system, the Tories disagreed with the opposition parties on the role of the national CBC television network.
The government slapped down the majority recommendation that CBC-TV should play a greater role in the development, promotion and distribution of Canadian movies.
"The recommendation is unacceptable," the Conservatives said, "as we do not believe it is responsible to ask a public broadcaster to become a feature film company. There are already companies that focus exclusively on this specialized market."
Conservative committee member Ed Fast said his party favoured CBC-TV becoming less reliant on commercials.
"Over time, we hope advertising revenue would diminish and that the advertising revenue is not dictating the content," Mr. Fast said.
The Tories also rejected two majority recommendations on future funding for the CBC, which currently receives more than $1 billion in public funding.
Annual $60-million "top up" payments the government has been giving the public broadcaster since 2002 should, the majority recommendation says, be made a permanent part of the CBC's core funding and the government should increase that funding over the next seven years to the equivalent of "at least" $40 per Canadian. It is now $33.
While agreeing that the CBC needs predictable multi-year funding to properly function, the Conservatives are refusing to agree to any specific amounts until the CBC produces a complete costing of all the recommendations in the committee's report.
Whether the report is fully implemented depends on the specific financial details, Mr. Fast said.
"Without having a full costing of the recommendations, the government can't respond," he said. "The challenge we have put to other parties and the CBC is, 'Come back to the government with full prioritized costings and full consideration will be given to the report.' I hope the CBC will take up that challenge."
The watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting said yesterday that the Conservatives' refusal to commit to specific funding deliberately set the CBC up to fail.
"The heritage committee set out to more closely align CBC's mandate and resources because it is widely recognized CBC resources are insufficient to meet its mandate," spokesman Ian Morrison said. "The Conservative minority report would expand this gap, not narrow it. It calls for CBC to do more, but denies CBC the required resources. It is a road map that would be extremely damaging to the CBC, especially its English television network."
© Ottawa Citizen
Although there is broad general agreement on the majority of recommendations in a report tabled yesterday by the heritage committee, the Harper Conservatives are insisting that the CBC produce an itemized estimate of its future spending before they will commit to any new money.
The Conservative minority report is significant because it would likely become part of a blueprint for the future of the CBC if the Conservatives win a majority at the next federal election. Some CBC supporters say the Harper government has a hidden anti-CBC agenda that includes the downsizing of the English TV network.
The Conservatives and opposition Liberals refused to recommend fundamental changes to the patronage-based appointments of the CBC's president and board of directors. The Liberals and Conservatives did agree that a panel of experts could be used to make recommendations on board appointments, but said the final decisions should rest with the government of the day.
In its "supplementary opinion" the NDP insisted that, to avoid "any hint" of political interference, the heritage committee should be allowed to approve all board members and the CBC president should be appointed by the CBC board of directors and not by the government.
Ottawa-Vanier MP Mauril Bélanger, vice-chairman of the committee, hinted that there was disagreement between the Conservatives and Liberals on the governance issue.
"At the time we were discussing that, we were coming to the end of the report and we wanted it out, but there seems to be a willingness to go back at that in the near future," he said. "We are quite prepared to make significant changes, if need be."
While supporting a beefed up regional CBC system, the Tories disagreed with the opposition parties on the role of the national CBC television network.
The government slapped down the majority recommendation that CBC-TV should play a greater role in the development, promotion and distribution of Canadian movies.
"The recommendation is unacceptable," the Conservatives said, "as we do not believe it is responsible to ask a public broadcaster to become a feature film company. There are already companies that focus exclusively on this specialized market."
Conservative committee member Ed Fast said his party favoured CBC-TV becoming less reliant on commercials.
"Over time, we hope advertising revenue would diminish and that the advertising revenue is not dictating the content," Mr. Fast said.
The Tories also rejected two majority recommendations on future funding for the CBC, which currently receives more than $1 billion in public funding.
Annual $60-million "top up" payments the government has been giving the public broadcaster since 2002 should, the majority recommendation says, be made a permanent part of the CBC's core funding and the government should increase that funding over the next seven years to the equivalent of "at least" $40 per Canadian. It is now $33.
While agreeing that the CBC needs predictable multi-year funding to properly function, the Conservatives are refusing to agree to any specific amounts until the CBC produces a complete costing of all the recommendations in the committee's report.
Whether the report is fully implemented depends on the specific financial details, Mr. Fast said.
"Without having a full costing of the recommendations, the government can't respond," he said. "The challenge we have put to other parties and the CBC is, 'Come back to the government with full prioritized costings and full consideration will be given to the report.' I hope the CBC will take up that challenge."
The watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting said yesterday that the Conservatives' refusal to commit to specific funding deliberately set the CBC up to fail.
"The heritage committee set out to more closely align CBC's mandate and resources because it is widely recognized CBC resources are insufficient to meet its mandate," spokesman Ian Morrison said. "The Conservative minority report would expand this gap, not narrow it. It calls for CBC to do more, but denies CBC the required resources. It is a road map that would be extremely damaging to the CBC, especially its English television network."
© Ottawa Citizen
Related Documents:
February 28, 2008 - News Release - Conservative agenda would damage CBC
FRIENDS says a Conservative minority report on future of the CBC would expand the gap between the national public broadcaster's mandate and the resources available to meet it.
FRIENDS says a Conservative minority report on future of the CBC would expand the gap between the national public broadcaster's mandate and the resources available to meet it.
