Thank you, Richard.
ACTRA has always supported the CBC, Canada's national public broadcaster. Our union's history is inextricably linked to the CBC. The first Canadian recorded media performers union, a predecessor to ACTRA, was created at CBC Radio in the mid-1940s. The relationship between ACTRA and the CBC is symbiotic in many respects, since together we are fundamental to the creation and development of a pool of professional performers. While the role of the CBC in the professional life of Canada's performers has changed over the years, the CBC remains a vital part of Canada's broadcasting milieu. The CBC must remain the primary television destination for Canadians, a place where Canadians can see our own stories and watch those of the world unfold from our own distinct perspective.
We applauded the CBC for Canadianizing its prime time schedule in the mid-1990s, which laid the basis for the creation of a true alternative to the private broadcasters, both Canadian and foreign. The CBC's increased reliance on obtaining productions from Canada's independent production community represents the best form of cooperation between the public and private sectors. To be an effective alternative to private broadcasting, the CBC must not only present the current reality of Canada, it must challenge us to reflect on our history and to think boldly about our future.
Only a public agency can afford to take the risks inherent in producing distinctively Canadian programming. We believe many Canadians share our view, and we believe it is the role of the government to give the CBC the resources necessary to take these risks. As a consequence, ACTRA urges the committee to recommend that CBC's existing mandate be maintained and that the annual parliamentary appropriation for the CBC be increased to give it the resources to effectively implement its mandate.
The CBC has a key role in addressing the continuing and critical situation of the scarcity of Canadian drama on our screens, and it must be encouraged to do just that. The CBC has been responsible for many of Canada's most provocative miniseries and best-known drama series. Trudeau, Da Vinci's Inquest, Canada: A People's History, Shattered City, Human Cargo, The Last Chapter, and This is Wonderland all come to mind, as well as comedies like The Newsroom, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, The Rick Mercer Report, and, of course, Little Mosque On the Prairie.