Mr. Speaker, several days ago, the unionized employees of Radio-Nord in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region began an indefinite general strike.
Since 1997, I made representations on a number of occasions to ensure that Radio-Nord maintained adequate services for the people back home. Radio-Nord provides only a minimum of local information, leaving the public largely unaware of the initiatives taken by its elected officials and leaders at the municipal, school board, sports, federal, provincial and regional levels.
The public is now asking for proactive radio and television services that will truly reflect the reality of our local communities. Radio-Nord is not fulfilling the commitments it makes when it goes before the CRTC to renew its licences. Therefore, the CRTC will have to discipline Radio-Nord, on behalf of the residents of the riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik and of the whole Témiscamingue region.