Evidence of meeting #140 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was radio-canada.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
My question is, are you going to reduce staff like you did last year, in December? The private sector has already started staff reductions, as you know. Last year, you followed them in the month of December. Are you going to do that again?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
I will say, and I can say this very openly to this committee, that thanks to the $42 million that we received, we will deliver the budget for 2024-25, which ends in March, without further staff reductions.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
You said at the beginning that you need more funding. You said that in your opening five-minute statement. Have you asked the minister or any of the Liberal cabinet ministers for more funding going ahead for 2024-25?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Since I began this job in 2018, I have been asking all stakeholders. I have met with ministers. I have met with MPs from both sides, all sides, of the table to talk about the structural financial challenges that CBC/Radio-Canada faces. I just described how, with $32 per head, we're delivering enormous value. I have been speaking about the need for more funding—
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
I started with—and I think I said so to MP Champoux—the $400-million to $500-million range to have sustainable, manageable funds to provide a vibrant, robust service.
If I may, on this talk about TV revenues being down, do you think that CBC/Radio-Canada or Radio-Canada alone can compete with the billions of dollars of streamers like Netflix and Amazon? It's impossible.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Well, let me ask you this. Your key performance indicators, which you have not met.... I think that's why the public is a little upset with the bonuses: You have met only three of the 14. You admitted here last time that you moved the goalposts so that you could get the KPIs. I think that's why taxpayers in this country are upset with you and the CBC board right now. You moved the KPIs so you could get $18.3 million in bonuses and over $3 million in executive bonuses.
That is the issue with the CBC right now, Ms. Tait, that you appear to have not read the public on. They are upset with you on this.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
I'm very sorry; you're misrepresenting the facts.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Yes, you are.
I'm very sorry, but Madam Chair, we do not move the goalposts. Our KPIs—
November 25th, 2024 / 12:35 p.m.
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
—are based on market data.
Liberal
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
It's like football. You've moved the goalposts so that you could get your KPIs, the $18 million in bonuses. We all know that. You've admitted that in previous testimony at Canadian heritage here. That's why Canadians are upset.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
I'm sorry, Madam Chair. I have been asked the same questions over and over again. I have answered the questions. If the purpose of this appearance is simply to throw a barrage of insults in my direction to discredit the organization, it is totally unproductive.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
I then move to Mr. Coteau for the Liberals. You have five minutes, please.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and again, thank you to our witness today.
It's pretty clear what the Conservative agenda is. It's to destroy the public broadcaster and replace it with American-owned, for-profit media. It's very clear what they stand for and what their agenda is. It's been clear in the last five meetings, and it's clear today.
Again, I want to thank our witness for bringing, I would say, some facts forward that are completely counter to every single thing the Conservatives are saying.
I just want to ask you a series of questions. I would just ask for very short answers, just so that we can be on the record here today when it comes to CBC/Radio-Canada and the perception the Conservatives are trying to present.
Really quickly, is viewership up or down?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Depending on the platform, it's up.
Liberal
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
As we've seen in multiple third party surveys, and I'm talking about non-CBC surveys, CBC/Radio-Canada remains the most trusted source of credible news in this country. The Pollara survey also indicated that CBC/Radio-Canada is the most admired media brand in the country. There are many surveys that indicate that CBC and Radio Canada remain very much loved among Canadians.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Internationally, how is CBC perceived by other G20 countries?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
We are considered one of the most innovative on the planet. The Internet protocol-based centre, the new Maison de Radio-Canada in Montreal, for example, has been visited by broadcasters from around the world. The work we're doing in Toronto on something called the “universal production platform” is recognized as groundbreaking work. We are considered innovative and solutions-oriented with respect to the challenges that all public broadcasters face today.