Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I brought forward a motion on Friday for presentation before the committee today to request that the CRTC chairman, Mr. von Finckenstein, be brought before the committee. If the committee members recollect, a few weeks ago I brought forward this issue at a meeting after Mr. von Finckenstein first appeared before the committee, and I think everyone agreed in principle with having him called back.
When the chairman appeared before our committee he stated, when I questioned him about the positions of both CanWest and CTV on their commitment to local programming if fee-for-carriage were implemented.... When I looked at the CRTC transcripts for the session at which both CTV and CanWest appeared before the CRTC, they said they were committed to local programming if fee-for-carriage were implemented.
So there's a discrepancy between what was said by the chairman before our committee and what was said in those transcripts, and I think it needs to be clarified. I don't know if there was a misunderstanding. I think committee members will acknowledge that we've had both CanWest and CTV here, and they have stated there is a commitment. In our study we need to get to the bottom of this to find the truth so no one is under any type of false impression, and this confusion and misunderstanding can be cleared up.
As a caveat, the clerk has informed me that the CRTC chairman has been called to appear before our committee in May, so he will be coming forward. But I think it is important that we have the support of all members of this committee on this motion to ensure we can get to the bottom of the situation and have the truth brought forward. That way, when we provide our recommendations to government, we will have a clear perspective on where all parties are coming from.