Mr. Speaker, this morning millions of Canadians woke up to find their beloved CBC missing.
Over 2,000 technical staff who work at the CBC went on strike for fair pay and decent working conditions. They have rejected the most recent offer of zero, zero and zero.
This Liberal government has cut public funding to the CBC by 25% and we are now seeing the results.
Management at the CBC seems hell-bent on the elimination of regional programming and forcing more and more concessions from dedicated programmers.
It is criminal that those who support better broadcasting have to walk a picket line, while those who seem dedicated to destroy it sit in management, on the CBC board or in the cabinet.
Canadians expect quality programs from the CBC, not reruns. Canadians want fair labour practices from our public broadcaster.
New Democrats and concerned Canadians demand that this government intervene now to get management back to the bargaining table with a meaningful offer so Canadians can once again wake up to the CBC.