Mr. Speaker, amid the uproar of the heritage minister's many flip-flops on CBC radio funding along with the deserved hoots of laughter when she recited the Liberal red book promise of stable multiyear funding for the CBC, a few points have been under reported.
First the heritage minister is the person who hacked, slashed and gouged $414 million from the CBC funding in the first place. Giving back $10 million shows incompetence of immense magnitude. It is not only too little too late, but it exhibits management by crisis. She does not have a clue what she is doing. Her chewing gum and baling wire approach to the CBC is crushing that institution.
The Reform Party on the other hand has a rational plan for the CBC to continue funding for CBC radio French and English services, Newsworld, RDI and Radio-Canada International and will privatize television and stereo.
Second, former CBC president Manera has said the heritage minister's $10 million intrusion by cabinet direction "amounts to a vote of non-confidence in the CBC directors; it has turned them into eunuchs". I agree.