Thank you for coming.
To Katherine, I appreciate your comment about the challenge of the balance in what you're hearing.
To both Derek and Dominic, I heard your comments about wanting to have something that's more reflective. You talked about equity and being more reflective of Canadian society. I see CBC radio as an opportunity provide a venue for non-mainstream music, which is what both of you represent as well.
To the comment that young people are not using radios, I notice increasingly when I walk through the stores that MP3s now carry radio tuners. I think iPod is next to come out with one for both FM and AM.
I've heard concerns, and I'll be presenting petitions that come to my office calling on the government to ensure a continued mandate and funding for CBC radio to allow it to continue to make its contribution to the cultural life of Canada.
There are examples in which the federal government has provided money, but provided it with direction. I'm thinking of health funding for waiting times. There have been other areas that we've gone into where we've left, generally speaking, federal money without any strings, but there are areas where, because of the responses we hear, we feel extra is needed.
The message I'm hearing from the people I talk to, and what I've heard from your comments today, is that in fact resources are dwindling. You're saying CBC radio is facing tough choices with diminishing resources, and that seems to be the problem--the diminishing resources. I appreciate Dominic's comment that there are 24 hours in a day, but I think it's increasingly important for Canada and the cultural values in Canada to be able to provide these avenues for young artists and emerging artists in the full range.
I recently attended the CBC Radio Orchestra performance at the Chan Centre in which they played pop music with a great interpretation that challenged the audience. Also, I recently attended a Persian piano concert by artist Shardad Rohani, who is a very accomplished pianist. There's interest in the community for it.
Derek made the comment on the caveat, as I saw it, on reduced or limited funding. I think that's the real issue. We need to be encouraging CBC to continue its mandate. The importance of classical music is there, and they should try to find ways of adding rather than subtracting the process of enriching that.
I notice other kinds of music get exposure on television and on commercial radio, but jazz or classical music doesn't seem to get the same exposure. I think that's what I see as the role of the CBC, and I'd appreciate any comments.
I might add that I'm a great supporter of the CBC Radio Orchestra. I think it's a 70-year tradition that I'd hate to see us lose.