Tories take aim at future of CBC in leadership race

The CBC/ Radio-Canada’s English services may have a target on its back, depending on who wins the Conservative leadership race, after three of the five candidates in the running said they want to defund the public broadcaster while the remaining two are calling for changes to its mandate. The Wire Report reached out to the campaigns of all five leadership hopefuls: Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre. Only Poilievre did not respond to queries but he is on the record as attacking the CBC. In a March 2021 tweet he stated that he agreed with the party’s former leader, Erin O’Toole, on defunding the CBC but made it clear on the campaign trail that cuts to Radio-Canada are not envisioned. His caucus colleague Lewis shares his disdain for the public broadcaster. “Dr. Lewis has heard from Canadians from coast to coast that the money spent on the CBC is wasted,” spokesman Michael Hettrick wrote in an email to The Wire Report. “She will act in the interests of the people and defund the CBC.” On her website, the Ontario MP states “It’s past time taxpayers stop funding a news organization that force-feeds them woke, Liberal Party talking points.” She made no mention of the French services of Radio Canada. She also vows to end the Qualified Canadian Journalism Organizations designations and put a stop to media bailouts such as the labour tax credit and digital news subscription credit. To be designated as a qualified Canadian journalism organization, an organization is required to meet the criteria set out in the Income Tax Act. This permits companies to get the tax credit for labour and to offer a tax credit to subscribers of their digital platforms. Also attacking the corporation is former Ontario MPP Baber. “A Roman Baber government will defund and spin off the CBC,” a policy plank on his website declares. “A Roman Baber government will end all media bailouts and subsidies. It will also limit and regulate the way government spends on media advertising.” Charest and Aitchison took a more nuanced approach to the subject. “CBC/Radio Canada have a role to play in filling in gaps where the private sector does not fulfill the needs of Canadians,” Charest’s press secretary Laurence Tôth wrote to The Wire Report. “I will review and change CBC’s mandate to ensure that it is focused on these areas rather than competing with private broadcasters using taxpayer dollars.” Ontario MP Aitchison travelled the same path on his website. “The CBC is a Canadian cultural institution but under Justin Trudeau’s leadership, it has become a complete mess,” the campaign stated. “The CBC must be more like Radio Canada. It can tell important Canadian stories, especially in rural Canada and communities without media coverage.” In June the CBC had its licence renewed by the CRTC with an increased emphasis on digital delivery. This has caused concern from some stakeholders and even led some to file appeals to cabinet over the renewal. The Wire Report also asked about the proposed Rogers Communications Inc. takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. Only Charest and Lewis responded by deadline. “The Rogers outage was a warning of the dangers of relying on a single company for so much of our communications services in Canada,” Hettrick wrote outlining his candidate’s opposition to the merger. “Less competition in the Canadian communications sector would only hurt Canadians who regularly pay among the highest rates for wireless and internet service in the developed world.” Charest was more hesitant to take a stand. “Canada needs competition in the wireless sector,” Tôth explained. “I believe we should let the Competition Bureau work this through with the merger proponents rather than have politicians get involved.” The party will announce the results of the leadership vote on Sept. 10. –Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

Tories take aim at future of CBC in leadership race

Broadcast | August 29, 2022

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Tories take aim at future of CBC in leadership race

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