So what has this programming been offering all Canadians? Let’s do a quick partial review.
TV Programming: Hockey night in Canada, Nature of things, National – a news program that covers ALL of Canada, Land and Sea- program stories about Canada’s east coast, Dragons Den- Canadian entrepreneurs, Marketplace- program to alert Canadian consumers, Coronation Street and Murdoch Mysteries, CBC news at noon, the only program that covers the Ottawa’s house parliament question period and the only station to consistently have CBC reports and reporters in areas covering all of Canada including our Northern territories, Calgary eye opener, Little kids morning programming, Our Calgary, The Fifth Estate. This is just a sample of TV programming that is all Canadian only on CBC.
Radio Programming: Cross Country checkup, Alberta at Noon, The Eye Opener and The Homestretch, The World this Hour and The World at Six, As It Happens and The Current and Ideas – 3 Canadian programs talking to world’s people of “trusted verified” about recent events good and bad. Q – mainly about Canadian music and art, along with many Canadian podcasts. This is just a sample of Radio programming that is all Canadian only on CBC.
The Conservative Party of Canada’s Leader Pierre Poilievre election platform is to get rid of the CBC. I have to ask myself, why would you want to remove the only program that covers all of Canada in only the way the CBC does. Is this another media outlet to be eliminated? Their TV and radio programming is mainly about Canada and all of its people, with far less advertizing and more information programming delivered for your valuable time. As well there are some Canadians in our vast county that only get CBC over the air transmission at no cost. Yes, antennas are still used even around Calgary. This important Canadian connection would be lost to those that don’t have internet coverage. It could add to their daily cost for a pay for view replacement, if even available in their area. This seems contrary to the Conservatives’ stand to reduce Canadian costs and communicating with all Canadians. More importantly what Canadian benefit do Canadians get in not having the CBC? What are we being saved from? The truth is your choice. That said, I guess it’s hard for a politician to understand the convenience of not having to pay for a Canadian news program on an air transmitted signal to reach all Canadians for TV and radio, when they have almost everything paid for by the Canadian taxpayer. The CBC employs 7444 taxpaying Canadians that will be out of a job, does that make sense? What’s also hard to understand as reported, Poilievre suggested he supports radio-Canada’s French services only, but not the English portion of this CBC program. Hmmm, it kind of makes you wonder why. Gee, could it be about keeping certain voters happy on both sides of this issue?? Note, to all Politician’s, Canadians are not stupid people, spoon feeding is not wanted or appreciated, use your resources to focus on the real issues Canadians are facing.
CBC has stated the cost to run this Canadian operation is about 10 cents a day per Canadian. You pay way more for a cup of coffee. Do you think losing all of the great uniquely Canadian programming from West to East to Arctic coast because of a political party’s opinion is in the best interest of all Canadians? Is this worth losing the only consistent Canadian broadcast company that covers all of Canada in news, arts and entertainment for 10 cents a day? How does that issue sit with what you want the government parties to really focus on? Do you think getting rid of the CBC will bring Canadians closer together by having less Canadian content? Do these questions seem a little redundant to you? Then talk to your MP and MLA if you want to keep Canadian programming Canadian. Fortunately we still have the voting process which allows your choice to keep what makes us uniquely Canadian, Canadian.
~Dennis Bigras
