Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's never easy to speak after an expert, but I will do my level best.
Members of the committee, on behalf of the Société franco-manitobaine, or SFM, I want to thank you for this opportunity to present our position on the mandate, role and impact of the SRC on our community.
Let me begin by recalling the mandate of our organization. The SFM, the official voice of Manitoba's francophone community, has a mandate to ensure the growth and development of this community and to demand full rights for it. Together with its partners, the SFM plans, facilitates and promotes the overall development of the francophone community.
The SRC plays a critically important role in ours and in all communities from coast to coast. No one can argue that the SRC has had a direct role in the development of our community for a number of years now. The SRC has long been in many respects the sole vehicle for francophone media for many of our communities.
Today in Manitoba, we have an opportunity to access other media that serve our communities in special ways. However, there is no question that the SRC has earned a special place for itself as a communicator and partner in our community's development.
CKSB, the SRC's radio station in Manitoba, has been broadcasting over the airwaves for over 60 years. It offers us a window on our community, our country and our world. This station is a reflection of most of the activities in which our community is engaged. It broadcasts quality programs produced right here in Manitoba, programs that strengthen our identity and our community. With its morning, noon and afternoon programming CBC Radio Canada focusses on the issues and priorities that matter to our community.
CBC Radio Canada must have the resources it needs to continue offering quality programming to our community. We would like to see more air time set aside for local programming. We would also like most decisions involving local programming to be made at the regional level, bearing in mind the specific nature of our community. The recent decision to relocate reporters with CBC radio in Saint-Boniface to the studio on Portage Avenue has raised some concerns within the community. Is this the beginning of the end for the historic facility in Saint-Boniface? Too often, decisions to streamline operations for profitability's sake are made far away from the regions and a corporate philosophy which puts a priority on dollars and cents fails to take into account that often, investing in the regions is less cost-effective. While a local production may be more costly an endeavour, its impact in terms of training and community visibility cannot be measured in dollars and cents. We are neglecting to take into account the adverse effects of cutbacks at the regional and local levels where in our opinion, facilities are already understaffed.
SRC television also plays a key role in the community. Television is a partner in community development, whether it be Téléjournal Manitoba, which provides a daily glimpse into the community or local productions that showcase our communities. RDI provides a window on the rest of Canada and showcases the talent, dynamic energy and contribution of Manitoba's francophone community to the rest of Canada.
The SRC's local team works diligently to present an accurate picture of community life. However, we worry that the SRC does not always adequately carry out its mandate as a public broadcaster from coast to coast. While we recognize the importance of the Quebec and Montreal markets, we want a corporation that is a truly national broadcaster, one that gives all Canadians an opportunity to enjoy francophone content that reflects the collective experiences of all of Canada's francophones.
The SRC has a very unique role to play in our communities and in the vast world of broadcasting. It is vitally, indeed crucially, important that the SRC be a truly Canadian entity designed for Canadians by Canadians. Content must be truly pan-Canadian, produced by members of local and regional communities. Despite some similarities, the voice of a francophone from Western Canada is different from that of a francophone from Quebec, New Brunswick or Newfoundland. We all have a unique message to convey, even if we do share the same language and culture.
Since the cutbacks in the 1990s, we have observed changes at the local level in SRC productions. These cuts immediately resulted in a sharp drop in local productions and cultural programs. Opportunities for developing local programs now appear limited. It is critically important that this trend be reversed and that the number of hours of local programming be increased. We have independent production houses that are more than capable of filling the void left by past cuts. The SRC must champion local and independent products and act as a pan-Canadian partner and broadcaster.
The SRC team in Manitoba has made great strides because it advocates a partnership approach. It is also very important that our productions be shown on a regular basis across the country, in addition to RDI programming. We don't deny that many more products do and will continue to originate in Quebec. The quality of Quebec productions is impressive. However, we are seeking to have a greater voice within SRC's production sphere to ensure that the reality of francophones nationwide is better reflected. Productions originating outside Quebec would complement Quebec content very nicely.
Manitoba boasts a very rich history. Its community has the ability to contribute to the SRC's efforts. Whether at the production, artistic or news programming level, we have developed solid teams and quality products worthy of being exported across the country. We have a history to share with others and we need the SRC's support to relate that history to Canada and to the world. Nevertheless, we are eager to discover and learn new things, and we benefit from programming produced by francophone communities outside Quebec. The SRC can act as a bridge for communicating with other communities across the country. It is important for us to ensure that our voice is heard by all media components of our Crown corporation.
Although RDI provides quality programming, a number of francophones living outside the Winnipeg city limits are unable to tune in because they do not have cable service. We realize that this is not the SRC's responsibility, but rather the responsibility of cable companies. However, we do regret the fact that when RDI hit the airwaves, the SRC did not request that the service be mandatory from coast to coast.
At the same time, the federal government has a responsibility to ensure that all Canadians have equal access to the same quality service, regardless of where they live in Canada. A two-tiered or multi-tiered system must be avoided.
The point that we are trying to make here is that it is important for the SRC to work with communities to ascertain their needs, concerns and views on a Crown corporation that is part of our day-to-day lives, and that contributes tremendously to the development of our community. At the local level, we often work with SRC managers to improve programming and to make it more accessible to the community as a whole.The SRC must remain on the cutting edge of technology to ensure that Manitobans have access to quality programming for their viewing pleasure from anywhere in the province.
Canadian values are non negotiable and we hope that the SRC and the Government of Canada will be mindful of the importance of preserving and especially, of strengthening the SRC in our regions. The corporation must be a reflection of the dynamic spirit and contributions of the entire population of Canada.
To our minds, Canada is a bilingual nation from coast to coast. Given the number of francophones living outside Quebec and the growing number of immersion program graduates, it is important that SRC programming be available from coast to coast. The federally funded corporation has a very clear, direct mandate relating to fundamental Canadian values. It should be remembered that one of these values is that Canada has two official languages. This must transcend financial considerations. This value must be part of the federal government's message and be reflected in its actions. Indeed, the federal government has a duty to support our Crown corporation by giving it the resources it needs to lend a voice to official language communities across Canada.
Finally, the SFM believes that the SRC has a clear mandate to reflect Canadian values. The SRC must develop in an innovative way while respecting competition from the private sector. It must emphasize its partnerships with community stakeholders in order to enrich programming content and expand its broadcasting range. Armed with these guidelines, the SRC will be strong enough to withstand North American influences and to continue to carve out a place for itself in Canada and around the world.
Thank you very much.