That shows you how difficult it is for a woman to get recognized on a panel composed of men. It seems that women's issues are still not important.
I want to say that we are here to examine the mandate of the CBC. With the mandate goes funding. Obviously, the Government of Canada is currently giving this public institution $1.3 billion. Everywhere we have gone, we have heard the same story you tell: the story of remoteness, of scarce services, of the failure to develop this culture you call Canadian. This is of enormous concern to me.
First, there is the whole Canadian culture which I think, for you, should be preserved. At present, there is a flood of American programming coming in, and I have the impression that if we do not soon help our Canadian and Quebec producers and artists — you are interdependent — you are going to lose this Canadian culture you hold so dear. Quebec culture is perhaps less endangered, since we have already enacted legislation there. It is still endangered, of course, but still we have a province that is more francophone. We have more ways of protecting ourselves. So Canadian culture is in serious danger.
Second, the producers, including you, and the private broadcasters in competition with you, and deregulation is taking place. This is of enormous concern to me. The people who create dramatic programming, or who create what are supposed to be local productions, this is of enormous concern to me.
So, and given that the Government of Canada is putting $1.3 billion into this institution, out of your and my taxes, do you not think that we should expand the partnership as much as possible, so that the CBC becomes a force for development of the arts, of culture, and thus of employment in Canada?
I see you nodding your head: you agree with me. Except that as a legislator and a member of this committee, I do not have everything I need in order to talk about this. I am not familiar with your industries. I have an general picture. I am not the one doing business with the CBC.
Could I ask you to send me, and send the Chair, your comments about what a fair, equitable partnership that benefits everyone would be, but in detail, with specifics? That might make some work for our researcher, for Marion, but on the other hand it will help us to understand your experience. You and everyone like you have come here and told us, sometimes clearly and sometimes in veiled terms, that there were little things that were not working. We want to understand them, these little things that are not working. Understandably, you cannot tell us everything, put everything out on public display, but I want to know.
How could a genuine partnership be arranged, so that the CBC was not keeping all the money for itself, and could give you some of the benefit of it? For your part, you would be able to put your talent to work for Canadians and Quebecers who watch television, who watch dramatic programming, and for Canadian arts and culture, so that everyone would be a winner.
Can I ask you to do that? Am I dreaming?