Evidence of meeting #142 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 cbcradio-canada.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
—encompass the performance of the corporation as a whole.
Conservative
Jamil Jivani Conservative Durham, ON
Some of these numbers do come from the CBC annual report.
We cannot live in a state of denial in which we can't acknowledge that the organization is struggling and failing. These bonuses have been a real trigger for taxpayers.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry, Mr. Jivani, but your time is up. Thank you.
I now go to the Liberals.
Ms. Gainey, you have five minutes.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Welcome, Mrs. Bouchard.
It's lovely to meet you. Congratulations on your nomination. Thank you for being here today.
How did you handle working with an independent board of directors like the one at TV5, and how will that influence your governance approach at CBC/Radio-Canada?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
That's a great question, because there's quite a learning curve in working with a board when you've never done it before. I have found it a privilege to work with the board of directors of TV5 Québec Canada, which is an independent board. The board is made up of members appointed by various stakeholders and members chosen by the board of directors. It's quite a balancing act.
The administration handles management. The board of directors deals with strategy issues. It is also there to advise management and be attuned to certain realities. I think that's true in public broadcasting in general, and I expect to develop similar experience with the chair and the members of the board of directors at CBC/Radio-Canada. There will be balanced discussions around strategies, management oversight and implementation, which is the responsibility of the administration.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
On another topic, a number of times in this committee we've addressed the challenges for the sector writ large of misinformation and disinformation, with our kids being online, and really just how important, in this context, a public broadcaster is. I actually do believe that CBC/Radio‑Canada is trusted by Canadians. I take your word “precious” that you used earlier. I think it is precious and it is something we really do need to protect and reinforce.
I'm curious to know your thoughts on that trust and how you see your role in reinforcing it, and not just with our generation. I'm also a mother of three and I think about their future and where they're going to get their information.
I'm curious about your thoughts on that.
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
I talked a little earlier about the discoverability issue, but it's true in news as well. It's true in all sorts of information and education for media. It's really important that we figure out a way to connect with young people and ensure that they have access to their culture and to the information that they need as they grow up and as they develop their habits of media consumption.
It's also true for newcomers in the country. They need to be able to integrate into our society with access to trusted news. That's one of the fundamentals of a public broadcaster and it's certainly something that's going to be a focus for the strategies that we develop.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Right.
As you mentioned earlier, we agree that there are challenges in the sector, and certainly challenges at CBC/Radio-Canada. Which of the challenges are you most looking forward to sinking your teeth into and really getting to work on?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
Obviously, I'll be working on making sure that we have a system that's transparent and that people can trust in our administration and management of public funds, especially in the context of compensation. This will be a focus. I'm not trying to go around it.
As I said, rebuilding our local news is something that I really want to work on. I think it's timely and it's important and it's urgent, because so many other media are having so much difficulty maintaining service.
My objective is not to have CBC as the sole voice. I think it's important to have a diversity of voices and different sources of news. We have to figure out a way to not only rebuild our regional services but also support other regional and local broadcasters and media.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
With TV5, you worked collaboratively, I think, with APTN, the NFB, CPAC and others. How was that collaboration and those relationships? What can your experience there bring to this new role that you're embarking on?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
I think it was a necessity with TV5 because it was so small. It's also in its DNA. It comes from a partnership. It was created by many media that thought they were more efficient together in providing that particular niche service.
There's a lot of benefit in working together. You also have to drop the egos a little bit. Sometimes the target is more important than who gets there.
That's what I bring to this job.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Anna.
Since we started at 42 minutes to the hour, we have time for one last round.
I'll begin with Mr. Waugh.
Kevin, you have five minutes, please.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Thank you, Madam Chair.
It's refreshing that we actually have a Canadian leading the CBC instead of someone coming out of New York. Thank you and congratulations.
It's interesting; you left after 29 years at CBC. As you know, CBC is not a non-profit. They get $1.4 billion in funding, plus $400 million in advertising, and now, through Bill C-18, they get almost another $100 million through Google. You're getting quite a bit. You're not a non-profit organization.
Why did you decide, when you did leave CBC, that you would go to a non-profit like TV5—I come from the private sector—when the CBC is the motherlode of organizations?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
I alluded to my path through the CBC. It was an incredible opportunity to discover all sorts of different areas, different types of jobs and work, and different teams. When the headhunter came knocking at my door nine years ago, it seemed like being a CEO of a small company was the right thing for me. I loved the mandate, and it allowed me to expand on my experience. That's why I went.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Your timing was interesting, because CBC really left television and radio when you left. They focused more on digital, where you were. They have pumped millions of dollars into digital in the last nine years. They have done more in digital than they have television and radio.
What are your thoughts here? You were in charge of digital when you left.
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
I was indeed in charge of digital when I left, and I'm glad that CBC/Radio-Canada has invested in digital, because that's where Canadians are. It's important that we stay current with Canadians' practices in terms of media consumption.
However, I would not say that they've left radio and television. As an avid consumer of radio, I can tell you that the quality and depth of programming that is available to me on both talk radio and music radio is as good as when I left.
Conservative
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
Well, I would dispute that with Radio-Canada. I'm not a big consumer of CBC because I've been so immersed in French programming in the last nine years, but I can tell you as a viewer that the programming and depth of programming available on Radio-Canada TV, but also on tou.tv and other services, is of high quality.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
What were the criteria for bonuses when you were at TV5, when you were the CEO there?
There must have been criteria for bonuses. Nobody leaves the corporation after 29 solid years to go to a non-profit. There has to be some incentive there.
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
I'm not sure I understand your question.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
When you were there, what were the criteria for bonuses?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
Whose bonuses?
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Did you have a bonus built in to TV5 when you got there?
Chief Executive Officer, TV5 Québec Canada, As an Individual
At TV5, I have a base salary, and there's a variable pay program. It's standard.