Yes, that's been a real loss, I think, for the north, where CBC did play a role with Sylvia Grier. She did a Cree program in the morning and during the lunch hour, and it was well received in the north and it put a stamp of “CBC cares about the reality of the people in the north”. When that role was gone, there were questions: Well, what's NCI doing? Can NCI do more for us? Because CBC certainly isn't playing that role.
With a radio show, I don't think it's a native perspective speaking to non-aboriginal or mainstream Canada; I think it's a perspective where inclusiveness should come to the table. I think it should be a phone-in show. If there are major native issues going on in Canada, we need to hear all opinions and thoughts on those issues, and come to a conclusion at the end. That will promote a better understanding. It should be inclusive of all voices, but give the native voice an opportunity.
The difference between CBC and NCI is that our audience lives the issues, where CBC's audience hears the issues--and that's a real difference. We don't have to explain as much with our audience. We don't have to explain that there are third world conditions still in first nation communities here in Manitoba. People live those issues and they know what they're about, or they have family or they've come from a community or they have friends who are a part of that. So I think there's a real special connection that we have, and CBC should grasp some of that, if not all of that.