I'm sorry. I said 2007. You're right. I apologize.
Let me correct the record.
The CBC leadership gave direction to not call Hamas a terrorist organization. The Government of Canada officially declared it a terrorist organization more than 20 years ago. That decision is known. That is an official decision made by the Canadian government. That is not something that is up for debate. That is fact, so for the CBC to give that directive is alarming.
Further to that, the CBC just recently ran with a story accusing Israel of the attack on a hospital. They did not verify the facts. They did not take the time to get the story correct. Instead, they just took information that was fed to them by Hamas and they pushed it out the door. Only moments later, they then had to retract the title of their story and the misleading information within it, because they had new information—because Canadians held them accountable and pushed back on their lies.
For a public broadcaster to take over a billion dollars and use that taxpayer money to propagate a false narrative fed by Hamas is absolutely deplorable. It is incumbent upon this committee to hold the CBC to account and to make sure that Canadians are being given accurate information.
The reason this is so important is that when false information is put out there, it is damaging to the Israeli people. It is damaging to the Canadian public. It is damaging to the relationship between Canada and Israel. It is damaging to journalists who do good work but are now not trusted because some people at the CBC have determined that it's in their best interest to propagate lies.
Mistrust is at all-time high. The CBC is publicly funded, and those in it have a responsibility to get it right. To be on the side of the terrorists is wrong. It is the wrong side to be on. Shame on them. Shame on us if we don't take the time to hold them to account.
Also, Chair, shame on Mr. Noormohamed...for laughing.