Official Languages Committee on May 27th, 2008

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Not entirely.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

They've replaced him with two.

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Yes, but before that, Mr. Rémi Racine joined our board of directors, and he's a francophone.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Where does he come from?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

He comes from Montreal. He's been sitting on our board of directors for about four months. It is common practice to balance a board of directors with the best experts from all corners of the country.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Have francophones from outside Quebec been appointed to the board?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I would have to review the board of directors. I can answer that question if you want me to take the time to think of each of the 12 directors. I can tell you that we have two open positions at this time.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

You have two open positions?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Yes, two positions are open. The government is working with the chairman of our board of directors to fill those two positions. I'm convinced that the people who are appointed to our board will be of the same quality as those currently sitting on it.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

I'm not talking about the quality of the members of the board of directors. They must obviously be of high quality. Instead I'm talking about the representation of the diversity of our country. If the board of director discusses what goes on everywhere, it is important that francophones who are appointed to it come from all regions of the country, not just from Quebec, even though there are six million francophones there. As I like point out, it is Radio-Canada.

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

I am very, very proud to work at Radio-Canada because our board of directors is diversified: it consists of high-quality people from the Northwest Territories, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and the Maritimes. Our board speaks and works in both official languages. Frankly, I am happy to be able to work with the board on a day-to-day basis.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Is it important—

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin. You'll have a chance to continue later.

We'll move on to Mr. Jean-Claude D'Amours.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Lacroix, thank you for being here.

Some of your comments intrigued me a little. The situation of the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame is not a new one: everyone is familiar with it. You talk about program choices. Everyone knew that there wouldn't just be anglophones at the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame Gala, but that there would also be francophones. Knowing that, you had a certain responsibility. You had to be watchful of that situation, to be watchful of needs.

Perhaps Radio-Canada refused, but when the CBC made the decision to present the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame Gala, it did so in knowledge of the facts. The CBC knew that anglophone and francophone artists would appear on stage. It is therefore somewhat odd to try to set that aside. CBC representatives knew what kind of projects they were embarking upon. They knew it from the outset. The fact that they knew that is a bit saddening.

You talked about greater awareness and said that you understood. Those are the terms you used a little earlier. You say you understood; that seems clear in your mind. It isn't a recent fact: there should be a certain sensitivity to bilingualism within CBC/Radio-Canada.

Since you've understood so well, why is it so complicated to confirm that if the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame Gala is broadcast on CBC next year, there will be francophone artists on stage and on television?

I'm just using your words, Mr. Lacroix. When someone has understood so well, that means he acknowledges his mistakes and is deciding to rectify matters. You could guarantee us today that, if there are francophone artists on stage, they'll be presented on the CBC.

Furthermore, I would like to emphasize where the entire crisis the last time occurred. Your anglophone vice-president came and told us that, because an artist is francophone and not that well known, he is less attractive from the standpoint of CBC's business and will not be shown because people will change channels.

That kind of reaction is odd. I was watching the program Dieu merci!. As if by chance—

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Did you say Dieu merci!?

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

It's a program back home. It's a program broadcast on the other channel, which isn't produced by CBC/Radio-Canada or by the federal government. Anglophone artists appear on it. And yet the network is completely francophone. Those people take the time to do that and feel that, even if their audience is almost solely francophone, it is important to show these things. CBC/Radio-Canada does not appear to be able to do the same thing.

I'd like to hear your answers.

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Mr. D'Amours, there are a lot of aspects to your comments and questions. Allow me to try to answer them.

A little earlier, I said that the reactions to the gala broadcast made us even more aware of the issue of the format of that program. As regards next year, Mr. D'Amours, I have no idea of what they will do. I don't know whether they'll come back and see us. Once again, that's a really hypothetical question.

As for Dieu merci, it was with a bit of a grin that I asked you to say what that program was about because everyone knows that TVA produced it. I won't comment on TVA's programming or about the advantages, the good and bad things done in it.

All that to say that the mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada is very clear. Much of our programming reflects the two cultures. It seems that this event has led you to believe that we are straying from our mandate, and that troubles me a little. With respect to that program, we have repeatedly said—and I repeat it again this morning—that we could have done a better job, could have better reflected the diversity of that event. However, please consider the big picture, CBC/Radio-Canada's programming as a whole. I can assure you that we are complying with our mandate as a public broadcaster in spectacular fashion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

We've taken note of your comments. Thank you, Mr. Lacroix.

We'll now go to Mr. Nadeau.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Lacroix, when gala producers come and meet with you, can you tell them that their project is promising, but that you would like—and I'm talking about the Hall of Fame Gala here—a quarter of the programming included in the number of minutes allocated, for example, to be reserved for French-language singers and songwriters. Can you make a change of that kind?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Nadeau, I'm not involved in the details of the negotiations between the people responsible for the programming and the Radio-Canada people. I couldn't tell you how things like that work. I simply know that, in the case of the gala, it was an independent producer, not CBC/Radio-Canada, who delivered the 44 minutes to us.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

All right, but I think you must show some leadership as a public television network. You could tell your staff responsible for negotiating contracts with people who set up galas that you want to see a certain percentage of programming reflecting the talent as a whole, both that of the Quebec nation and that of the Canadian nation, whether it's broadcast on the CBC or Radio-Canada.

Wouldn't that be a positive solution to the problem that we experienced and that we're still debating because we don't know what's being prepared for next year?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

As I explained to Mr. Godin and Mr. Gravel earlier, CBC/Radio-Canada selects the galas based on what interests the audience most. However, when we look at the gala ratings from previous years, we increasingly realize that television isn't a medium that suits galas. That's why I don't know what kind of format will be adopted for galas in future.

Whatever the case may be, as I've already said a number of times this morning, we could have done a better job to reflect the diversity of the performances at that event, and we realize that television isn't the best medium for a gala of this kind.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

All right. Mr. President of Radio-Canada, in the case of a gala that is supposed to be a pan-Canadian Hall of Fame, I suggest that you establish that kind of criteria so that the event reflects the Brayons, the Acadians, the Fransaskois and all of the critical mass constituted by the francophone artists of Quebec. I think that's important.

Mr. Stursberg returned a number of times to the ratings issue, and I'd like to go back to that as well. In the case of a gala that is supposed to be pan-Canadian and the purpose of which is to congratulate our artists and to pay tribute to them, what counts the most: being able to pay tribute to them or ratings?

[Hubert T. Lacroix]

For it to be possible to promote artists, people have to watch the galas. If no one watches them, that means we're not doing our job to promote those artists who appear on television. This involves a combination of content, medium and audience. These are programming decisions. Our programming people are highly competent. They make these kinds of decisions every day. Do those decisions suit everyone? Obviously not. Some are not pleased with them, but when you make a choice, there are consequences. That's inevitable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

That's also the case of the chairman who has to interrupt the discussion.

Thank you, Mr. Nadeau.

We'll now continue with Mr. Chong.