Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 2nd, 2023

[Catherine Tait]

I can ask Ms. Meloul to comment.

[Dany Meloul, Interim Executive Vice-President, Radio-Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada]

Since my arrival at Radio-Canada, not just in my current position, I have personally always enjoyed an excellent atmosphere for cooperation with my counterparts at the CBC, with whom we work closely. We share a lot of content. We always have good discussions, and I'm sure that will continue.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Martin Champoux]

Thank you. My time is up.

We're going to go to the second round, which is five minutes for the Conservatives and the Liberals, and then two and a half minutes for the Bloc and the NDP. Then we'll go back to the Conservatives and the Liberals for five minutes each.

Ms. Thomas, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Ms. Tait, just a moment ago, you said that integrity is of utmost importance to you, and you've referred to it in the journalistic standards as well.

I would just return to my colleague's question. You'll see here that this is the article when it was originally published by the CBC. You claim that 90 minutes later it was changed. I have that article title. It's here. This is after 90 minutes. In your journalistic standards, you say, “When we make corrections and clarifications online, we should include on the story page an explanatory note to the audience.” Again, I have this article right here, and I don't see an explanatory note.

With the journalistic standards and integrity being so important, why wasn't this done?

[Catherine Tait]

In my understanding—and, again, as Mr. Julian pointed out—there were several other stories that followed those two. If you read the entire thread—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I'm not holding those other folks accountable. I'm asking the CBC.

With regard to your journalistic standards, you say that you're supposed to offer a correction notice. That didn't happen. Why?

[Catherine Tait]

Again, I defend the journalism and its independence.

If I may answer, our journalists conduct themselves in an independent fashion. I cannot answer the question as to when they post a correction or when they do not. That is their business, and they conduct themselves according to the JSPs. I'm not here to answer on whether or not they corrected a piece of journalism.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Ms. Tait, you—

[Catherine Tait]

Again, if you are concerned about the journalism, I invite you to reach out to the ombudsman, just as every Canadian has the right to do, if you do not feel that the journalism has been adhered to.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Chair, I would ask that Ms. Tait speak to you directly, and not to me, and perhaps to refrain from raising her voice toward me.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Martin Champoux]

Ms. Thomas, I don't think Ms. Tait raised her voice. However, I agree with you that Ms. Tait's answers should be addressed through the chair.

I'll turn it back to you.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

When an article is written blaming Israel for an air strike it did not commit, and this has been confirmed by countries around the world and intelligence agencies from around the world, and the CBC still insists that it stands behind that article professing that the attack did come from Israel, that is, in fact, the spreading of dangerous disinformation.

We are inviting you, Ms. Tait, through the chair, to offer an apology to the Jewish population in Canada, and I daresay to all Canadians, because they have $1.4 billion invested in this public broadcaster. You are right: They do depend on you to tell the truth. When the truth is not told, when a mistruth is spoken, when disinformation is spread, especially dangerous disinformation like this, an apology seems right—if not an apology, then, at a bare minimum, a correction. Neither of those things has happened.

Again, would you apologize to the Jewish population and all Canadians?

[Catherine Tait]

No. What I will say, though, is that I'm going to quote from the article, just for the record. After the first piece, there was a second piece, updated, that said:

Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike Tuesday hit a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing hundreds. However, the Israeli military said it had no involvement in the explosion, which it says was caused by a misfired rocket from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

I think it speaks for itself.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Yes. Ms. Tait, thank you. Thank you for again admitting that there was dangerous disinformation spread in that article. I would note that you—

[Catherine Tait]

I have not admitted that. I'm sorry. I'm correcting the record.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I have a point of order.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Martin Champoux]

Mr. Julian, you have a point of order.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

This is a most profoundly dishonest line of questioning.

I would ask you, Mr. Chair, to enforce the rules we have at committee.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Martin Champoux]

Thank you, Mr. Julian.

Ms. Thomas, I would ask you to refrain from putting words in Ms. Tait's mouth. You have 45 seconds left.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would give the floor to Ms. Lantsman, please.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Ms. Tait, Hamas itself admits that it uses terrorism to further its goals. Those facts are not disputed. The choice not to call Hamas “terrorists” is wilful obstruction of the facts. It is biased and it does help Hamas.

That said, your funding has increased 21% since 2016. The prime-time ratings have dropped 7.6% since 2018. Trust is down to 40%. That's 60% distrust. I will never apologize for holding the CBC to account for $1.4 billion of taxpayer money that you receive. The NDP used to be an opposition party. They used to do that in committee. They used to do that in the House. I will never apologize for that.

Can you tell—

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Martin Champoux]

Ms. Lantsman, your time is up. Actually, we're well over the five minutes. Thank you.

We now go to Mr. Noormohamed from the Liberal Party for five minutes.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Tait, you are here today to discuss your mandate and its importance.

On a number of occasions, the Leader of the Opposition and the Conservatives have promised to cut funding to the CBC and gut it. What impact will this have on your mandate, particularly in journalism, and particularly on Canadian content and priorities?

[Catherine Tait]

I'm not sure I entirely understood your question. I beg your pardon.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

I will repeat it in English.

The Conservative leader has promised to defund the CBC, to get rid of its funding. What impact would that have on the delivering of your mandate? What impact would that have on journalism and on Canadian content?