Let me respond to Jim's point of view.
I truly believe that the future of the conventional TV is so important that we have to ask ourselves what conventional TV includes. Now, you were talking about the revenue, and there is a discussion right now and a report from the CRTC vis-à-vis the future of sharing with the cable companies. That's an issue.
But I truly believe at the same time that when we're talking about information here—news—you shouldn't just put a number. It's not just to quantify, saying, “Well, we're losing $18 million, so let's cut information”, because conventional TV includes news services. That's why the kind of discussion we're having about the future is our job. How do we define that kind of conventional TV?
For your information, they want to cut 270 employees out of 500 or so, but on that they're ripping out all the news service. So it sends a message that we're losing $18 million, so services equal that amount of money. News is becoming a merchandise and we're getting rid of it, and it's just like a budget issue and an expense. That kind of discussion about the orientation—should we merchandise news services?—is a valid point among ourselves in what should be the future of conventional TV.
The reason I'm talking about a basic level is that we can say what information means and all that. We can have a lot of definitions. We can have a former politician who has his own show comment on what's going on in the news every day and say, “Well, I'm doing information. I'm on the news. I've been doing that for three years as a radio host, but I'm not a journalist.” So it's not a basic level of news service.
The reason it's accurate to have that kind of discussion is that no matter what, you have the power at the end of the day. After the CRTC conclusion, the minister has the right to go to cabinet and say “I'm against” or “I'm in favour” or “Redo your homework”.
There are two issues I will just mention. I believe CRTC has the right to do its job, and it's not our duty regarding the level of what should be included, like the percentage or whether we should have nine hours or ten hours, or whatever. But I believe, at the same time, that to say you believe in conventional TV and it should include a basic level of news is sending a kind of orientation of what we believe, but they're doing their job. And if the conclusion is not what the minister believes in, she can come back to cabinet and change that.
That's why we're not talking specifically about one licence. That's why we're not saying specifically how much and what should be the minimum. But that's why, with those amendments, what we're sending as a message is that we believe in conventional TV, and by the way, that conventional TV should include a basic level of news support. And at the same time, when we're talking about a regional sensitivity, we're talking about local production.
I think some of the people should say we're borderline or ask where the thin red line is here. But I really believe, because I check it myself, we show compassion because we believe that it's a disaster to see all those families lose their jobs. And with all the convergence of radio and the news, this is another issue. But our duty is to say what we think about conventional TV. We'll do that today with that motion, and tomorrow we'll have a debate on that from the official opposition.