It's hard to talk about mandate without talking about the adequacy of the CBC's budget. CBC acknowledges this when it talks about having a contract with Parliament, the to-do list set out in the Broadcasting Act. Parliament now needs to provide the CBC with the money to get the job done. The specifics should be worked out by the CBC board and the management team.
This brings us to governance. We do not expect Parliament to authorize a larger appropriation for the CBC without improved governance and accountability for how the money is to be spent. This committee has received many worthwhile suggestions for improving the CBC governance structure. Whatever changes are made, the board needs to be a more effective management vehicle.
CBC management, and specifically the president, need to be accountable to the board rather than to the Department of Canadian Heritage. This is the standard model of board governance, and the one used by the BBC Trust. The board should have the time and the skill to provide oversight of CBC management decisions in a way that Heritage is not set up to do. The board can act to ensure that management plans both support the mandate and are the wisest use of the financing available. In turn, they will report to Heritage and to Parliament.
In order to do that, though, the board needs to be composed of individuals with relevant experience in broadcasting, distribution, development, and production. We do not think just anyone has the right expertise to sit on the board of the CBC.
The BBC Trust requires its candidates to be able to demonstrate an understanding of public broadcasting. Right now the CBC board is operating in a vacuum, without any formal structure for input from the viewers or other stakeholders. Taking another lesson from the BBC, we suggest that the CBC establish formal councils made up of representatives from regions and stakeholders--like writers--who can regularly provide the board with insight and perspective on the impact the CBC is having. Given the right tools, the CBC board can ensure that its funding, at whatever level, serves its mandate.
We appreciate the standing committee's concerns about the CBC and its ability to fulfill its mandate. Again, thank you for allowing us to share our perspective with you.