Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, a group of Newswatch supporters gathered in Montreal to prevent the cancellation of the CBC's English news in Quebec. Newswatch is a program watched by thousands of Quebecers. It is important for these people to have access to local news in English.
I put four questions in the House on these closures. The Minister of Canadian Heritage said she was not aware of plans to cancel Newswatch . Then she said certain options were on the table.
The government has been scared to make a commitment to saving Montreal's local English newscast. The minister has emphasized the arm's length relationship between the government and the CBC. I respect that relationship, but it is the government that provides the funding and it has cut the CBC's budget by more than $400 million in the last five years.
Will the minister stop trying to pass the blame on to the executive and guarantee funding so that the CBC can truly reflect Canadian society?