Evidence of meeting #8 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbc.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Konrad W. von Finckenstein  Chairman, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Graham Sheppard  Senior Annual Returns Auditor, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Christianne Laizner  General Counsel , Telecommunications, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Gregory Thomas  Federal and Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

10:45 a.m.

Federal and Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Gregory Thomas

Thank you for the question, Mr. Dreeshen.

I think it goes back to one's world view. Regarding these bonuses for executives, creative personnel, and staff, if you're trying to keep a talented programmer, an idea person, a creative person, or perhaps a star revenue producer, someone who brings in the advertisers, someone who's critical to the process, that's hardball show business. So regarding the CBC, as Strombo said at his big party at the Toronto International Film Festival, is show business, this is big money, this is hardball. And the CBC deploys its financial advantage to gain a commercial advantage.

If you embrace the idea that this is a sensible model, then you obviously have to hire hardball creative staff, hardball money generators, and you have to keep the information proprietary and secret, and you have to run it like a business or it will end up costing even more than $1.16 billion.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Patricia Davidson

Okay, thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Dreeshen. I'm sorry, but we've run out of time.

Mr. Thomas, again, thank you very much for appearing before the committee this morning. I would remind you of the ATIP requests you agreed to table with the committee. Could you do that through the clerk, please.

10:45 a.m.

Federal and Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Gregory Thomas

Thank you.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Patricia Davidson

The meeting is adjourned.