Thank you for inviting us to appear before you today. My name is Lise Lareau and I'm the national president of the Canadian Media Guild. We represent workers at the CBC, at CanWest, and other media employers across the country.
With me is Marc-Philippe Laurin. He is the president of our branch at the CBC outside Quebec. Because of the size of the panel here, we have two of our other colleagues behind me. Karen Wirsig is our policy and communications coordinator, and Brian Olsen is our consultant on OTA issues where we've done some original research.
There are three main areas we'd like to cover today.
First is the crisis at the CBC and Radio-Canada that is forcing the cut of 800 jobs and undermining local programming. And now there is word of a threatened new funding cut of $50 million dollars or more.
Second, we'd like to see government add to the local programming improvement fund currently being developed by the CRTC.
Third, we'd like to see participation by the government and Parliament in the transition to digital television, to make sure that one-third of Canadians don't get left behind.