Mr. Chairman, Mrs. Fry has clearly articulated my thoughts. I think she is quite right. Depending on the other subjects broached, perhaps we should introduce other motions. The primary aim of this motion is to protect a funding envelope, that is in some respects, to protect the CBC/SRC. As you clearly said, the CBC is currently guaranteed 37% of the Fund. We mustn't drop below this funding threshold, or find ourselves with public programming that falls by the wayside for lack of funding. That is the danger we face by splitting the fund into two streams. Logically, with one single $120 million envelope, we can see, using a straightforward mathematical calculation, how the CBC, or any other public broadcasters will be unable to produce the same number of programs as it could before the Fund was split into two streams. The historic access to 37% of the Fund should not, in my view, be compromised. That needs to be clearly stated. Given that the minister is reviewing the recommendations and withholding her decision until a later date, we need to voice well in advance our views on the future of the Canadian Television Fund. We need to tell the minister that if she goes along with the CRTC's recommendation, other problems may emerge, including funding issues. If the government agrees to split the Fund into two streams, it's important that overall funding be increased to ensure that the CBC continues to have historic access to a 37% share of the funding.
On June 12th, 2008. See this statement in context.