Evidence of meeting #16 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Thank you.
How much did you spend, say in the last year, on American programming and how much did you recoup through advertising dollars?
5 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
I don't have those figures, but I'd be happy to send them to you.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
If you would file them for us, that would be wonderful.
I would suggest, sir, that we do have some very talented people, very talented Canadians, in fact. If I look at the Martha Stewart show, I would argue that Ken Kostick from my home province would do as good a job, and that Canadians would be engaged. They expect Canadian identity in much of this programming.
5 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Madame, if I can add one thing, we are the only network--the only network--that has Canadian programming every night, 100%, from 8 p.m. to 11p.m., because we are Canada's national public broadcaster and we believe in a Canadian schedule.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Except that you've mentioned many of the American programs--
5 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Absolutely, for the reasons I have explained.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
But you're contradicting yourself, sir. You can't say it's a 100% Canadian.
5:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
No, but it is 100% Canadian from 8 p.m. to 11p.m. every night, no doubt. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune will come on from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Very good.
I have another quick question. The $4 million is of concern to me. With that $4 million bonus, 60 jobs could be protected. And I can't help but note that on your website, sir, there are job postings, and yet we're talking about lay-offs. I'm wondering why these people were being laid off.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
My question is, please tell us why we are looking for new jobs and new people when we've considered laying off people who have expertise and experience with your corporation.
5:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Well, I'm not aware of the postings you're talking about. We have rules with respect to postings and how they get to be posted. There's one thing that has to continue.
CBC/Radio Canada is unfortunately losing 800 really smart people. We are going to try to reduce the number of people, through programs we have and through conversations we're having right now with our union leaders and employees. If we can avoid this number and bring it down to a lesser number, believe me, that's what we're looking for. We want to keep our Canadians and our employees in their jobs.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pablo Rodriguez
Thank you very much.
The chair has been very strict and there's some time left, so we'll each have a two-minute round.
We will proceed in the same order as the last round.
We'll start with Mr. Bagnell, for two minutes, please.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Chair, I spoke to you before, and you said that Ms. Ashton would have her five minutes and then we'd go to a two-minute round.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pablo Rodriguez
We did the last round according to what we voted as a committee. There were only two parties, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party, and then we were to switch to the two-minute round.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I think Mr. Angus moved a motion earlier that we would respect the full two hours, which by my clock has us going until about twenty minutes to six. Do we really have to reduce the rounds? It's up to you; we don't have that much more.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pablo Rodriguez
We'll do four times five minutes. That will be 20 minutes, and then we'll stop. Is that okay?
5:05 p.m.
An hon. member
That's fine.
5:05 p.m.
The Chair
Okay, so we'll use the first round order. We'll go back to the first round.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
I'll use half the time and then pass to Ruby.
I want to thank you for your courage in keeping CBC North almost fully intact. I hope you can acquiesce to my two tiny requests to keep an AM tower in one of Canada's 13 capital cities and a radio reporter on Arctic and northern issues in Ottawa.
I want to understand the cashflow a bit. Would advance payments of money you're going to get from the federal government anyway help you to not sell off assets at bargain basement prices during a recession or help you keep some of those 800 staff?
5:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
This is something we had also suggested in the concepts of our financial flexibility. This was not something that was accepted by our minister.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
So you asked the government for advance payments, or at least timely payments, of the money they are going to give you anyway, and they refused.