Thank you.
My name is Jennifer Morin. As a citizen of Canada, I am representing the public interest.
First of all, I'd like to thank the committee for coming to Yellowknife. Thank you for chartering the plane. Welcome, and I hope you have a good few hours here before you're off to another session.
I also want to thank the staff for helping out and making this happen tonight.
I'm also speaking on behalf of my son, Archer, whom I've brought with me. It's his witching hour, the time he usually goes to bed, but I wanted to make sure he was counted in your review.
First of all, I'd like to say that we're really lucky to have very talented reporters and management up here. I see the CBC up here as the heart, the living entity--Chris O'Brien says it's glue, but I think it's more than glue--that connects all the communities and all of the local issues. As Chris said, one cannot see Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories, the north, without a heart pumping life, a heart taking away waste and giving life. It is really vital, especially for a small population in a large geographic area.
I listen to CBC radio, and I also watch the CBC broadcasts fairly regularly. I think they're both very important. I especially enjoy weekend CBC national radio. Lately I've been part of the CBC Radio 3 podcasts. I really think CBC Radio 3 speaks to an innovative component of the CBC by promoting local Canadian independent music that you can't get anywhere else. It's reaching beyond older, upper-crust generations. It's a living, vibrant organization that is connecting with many Canadians.
Another area that I find important and would like to put forward to the committee is environmental reporting. The private sector cannot report on environmental issues in its current capacity. They can report very well on business and some social issues, but the environment is always glossed over. There are no reporters dedicated to the environment, and we need strong investigative reporting to get to the critical core of some environmental issues facing Canadians. I find that to be a critical part of the CBC, and I appreciate having that local coverage.
Again, many of the issues I was going to speak to--how important the CBC is, how core it is--have already been mentioned. The one message I'd like the committee to take away is this: please keep the CBC, it is vital for Canada.
Thank you.