Thank you, Madam Chair.
Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming.
Last night I was flipping around the channels, and I ran across PBS Detroit. They were doing a fundraiser celebrating Willie Nelson's 90th birthday. Believe it or not, Canadians were going on with their wallets and their credit cards, supporting PBS TV out of Detroit. They were very supportive. They have several programs. In fact, I watch PBS Detroit here in Saskatchewan.
I don't have to tell you that ethnic media is also exploding in Canada right now. Their voices are not heard, so what do they do? They don't have their hands out to the federal government; instead, they have worked very hard with their communities to have their voices heard through ethnic media.
I point out, Ms. Kolt, that APTN television was started back in 1992. Why? It was because the public broadcaster did not at all fit the indigenous programming needs, so, in 1992, APTN started. We are paying for it today, a subscription out of our cable.
In Saskatchewan, we have Missinipi radio out of La Ronge. They are doing very well in La Ronge. They are broadcasting northern stories.
In Saskatchewan, I know of at least four indigenous groups that want to apply to the CRTC to also have community radio without subsidies from the federal government.
Ms. Colt, what are your thoughts on that? Others don't wait for the federal government to hand over more money. I've talked about three or four instances in which ethnic and indigenous groups have gone ahead themselves, raised the money, and have a voice in their communities. What are your thoughts on that, coming from Flin Flon?