Canadian Heritage Committee on Dec. 6th, 2007

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

I have a point of order.

My colleague Mr. Bélanger is somewhat right. We must understand the values that Mr. Lacroix intends to bring to the Corporation. I have some questions to ask him. If I can't do that, there's no point in us being here. Mr. Lacroix has a very strong CV and we could talk about it for hours, but we must go beyond that, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I think we can talk about history, and that's what we're into here: history. I think what we want to talk about is going forward with the CBC, where we stand today, and where those questions go.

I would suggest that we talk about the qualifications of Mr. Lacroix and go on from there.

What are your questions for Mr. Lacroix, please?

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Very well. Mr. Chair, I would like my time to be considered as starting now, please.

This is December 6. So I would like to take the opportunity before us to point out that today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which is a major event in Quebec and Canada.

I also wanted to note a second major event in Quebec: the Grande guignolée des médias fund-raising drive against poverty. Those two major events are taking place at the same time in Quebec today.

Good morning, Mr. Lacroix. I'd like to tell you that you have a very good, very substantial CV. I thought I was a very busy woman, but I also think you are a very busy man.

Do you intend to give up some duties and devote yourself entirely to CBC/Radio-Canada, or are you going to retain your other duties? Wouldn't that be too much?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I of course intend to withdraw from my present duties. I put a lot of effort into that in the days after my appointment was announced. I will continue to sit on two boards that do not conflict in any way with the business of CBC/Radio-Canada. I will devote myself body and soul to your public broadcaster.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

What are those two boards?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

One is that of Fonds SFL Pâte, a business that produces pulp, and the other is a Kanata company, Zarlink Semiconductor.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

My second question concerns transparency.

I know that, when Mr. Rabinovitch was in the position, it was he who signed the applications for acceptance or rejection of access to information requests. VIA Rail developed a type of transparency that consisted in a committee that discussed access to information issues.

Will you continue using CBC/Radio-Canada's current method, whereby the director himself decides whether or not to grant access to information, or do you think you will, like VIA Rail, set up a separate committee responsible for examining access to information requests, which would facilitate CBC/Radio-Canada's transparency?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Madam, I don't yet know the details of the process used for making these requests. As you know, I won't be starting until January 2. I very much believe in transparency, and I'm going to ensure that the process put in place guarantees that those requests receive all the attention they deserve.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Do you feel that should go through you, or are you open to any eventuality?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I'm going to listen to the advice of the management team to see the best way to answer those questions in the most transparent and quickest way possible.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

All right. I have another question.

Do I have time, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Yes, you have one and a half minutes.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

It concerns employee relations.

In recent years, there has been a lot of action in this area at CBC/Radio-Canada, lock-outs and so on. How do you view employer-employee relations?

Are you in favour of dialogue, or in favour of power relationships? What is your method?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Employees should definitely be the businesses's main priority because it relies on the creativity and quality of its programming, which is its main product and spearhead.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

How do you view that?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I see harmonious labour relations, an attempt to take a closer look at everyone's concerns. People have to be happy to get up in the morning and go to work at the Corporation. I consider with a great deal of pleasure any attempt that we make together to provide our employees with a creative work environment every day.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

No more?

We'll come back to that.

Thank you, Mr. Lacroix.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Thank you.

Mr. Siksay.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Congratulations on your appointment, Mr. Lacroix, and best wishes as you take on these important responsibilities.

Mr. Lacroix, how did you come to get this job? Did you apply? Did you see the ad in the newspaper and send in a résumé? Were you headhunted? How did that happen for you?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I did not apply for this job; I got a call from a headhunter and I was asked whether I was interested. It was the second time this headhunter had actually called me to seek out any interest I might have for this position, and that was about in June of 2007.

This headhunter came back to me a couple of times and said, “Are you sure? Are you interested? Would you like to put your name forward? We think this is a job that you would have an interest in and some qualifications for.” I asked a few questions, met with the headhunter, and this then became.... After this meeting I said, yes, all right, put my name in, and I was then part of a selection process—a very professionally run selection process, actually, which is what I'm used to in the businesses I've seen. The selection process was chaired by the chairman of the board of CBC/Radio-Canada. I went to a first interview and then to a second interview. After the first interview I assumed they had a long list, or a list, of people who they spoke to, and I was brought down the list to a second list, a shorter list, and then made it through the second interviews and got an offer.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Okay.

Mr. Lacroix, when you talk about mandate—you've mentioned it a couple of times in your opening statement and in questions—do you have a formal mandate? Have you been given formal direction? Is there a mandate letter that you have been given? How formal is the mandate you have been given as the incoming president of CBC/Radio-Canada?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

The mandate that I know I have is not a mandate that was given to me; it's the mandate that comes directly from the act, and it's very clear: the job I am taking on is a job where the public broadcaster informs, enlightens, and entertains Canadians, and to do that will put together compelling programming—and the act is very clear again—and will use all of its resources to make sure it's available to the greatest number of Canadians. That's the mandate that I know I am taking on January 2.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

No one has given you any particular directives or given you a direction?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Absolutely not.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Okay.

Your background I guess is more in commercial broadcasting than in public broadcasting. You've talked a lot about the need to ensure creativity while balancing that with budgetary considerations, financial considerations, and other considerations. Do you see a difference between the way a commercial broadcaster and a public broadcaster would face the issues of creativity and risk taking?