Mr. Speaker, CBC/Radio-Canada currently has approximately 730 employees who earn more than $100,000 per year. Their names and precise salaries are protected as per the federal Privacy Act and Access to Information Act.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 56% of the vote.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, CBC/Radio-Canada currently has approximately 730 employees who earn more than $100,000 per year. Their names and precise salaries are protected as per the federal Privacy Act and Access to Information Act.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, CBC/Radio-Canada operates 13 foreign news bureaus, including bureaus in Paris, London and Washington. The corporation does not have a bureau in Rome.
The bureaus are used as a base of operations for coverage of events in surrounding regions and countries as required and approved by the head of news and current affairs. Expenses incurred by these bureaus include travel to remote locations, hotels, accreditation and travel documentation. These expenses are part of the corporation’s journalistic programming activities and are not public. Expenses are not automatically separated into programming and non-programming categories; this would require a manual review of every expense. It is not possible to separate the programming from administrative expenses of these bureaus in the time provided for responding to this question. News budgets are approved by the vice-presidents of CBC and Radio-Canada.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), contracts and costs associated with the development or acquisition of programming at or by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation are programming information and of a competitive nature as referred to in part III, subsection 35(2) of the Broadcasting Act.
With regard to (b), broadcasters do not “tender” contracts for the development or acquisition of programming.
Over the past five years the corporation has concluded hundreds of contracts with independent producers for program pre-development, development, pilot production, and acquisition. CBC/Radio-Canada is always looking for smart, diverse, popular and relevant Canadian programming and provides two websites for independent producers to pitch programming ideas to the corporation: http://www.cbc.ca/independentproducers/ and http://projets.radio-canada.ca/.
Decisions to develop a specific program or not depend on a number of factors, including the corporation’s broadcast conditions of licence, the region where the program would be produced, the potential appeal of the program, the cost of the program, whether it is eligible for funding support from the Canada Media Fund, and how the proposed program would fit into the network’s planned program schedule for its designated season.
CBC/Radio-Canada is authorized to “make contracts with any person, within or outside Canada, in connection with the production or presentation of programs originated or secured by the Corporation” and “make contracts with any person, within or outside Canada, for performances in connection with the programs of the Corporation", as stated in paragraphs 46(1)(d) and 46(1)(e) of part III of the Broadcasting Act.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, individuals employed by CBC/Radio-Canada are not government employees. As specified in subsection 44(2) of the Broadcasting Act, officers and employees employed by CBC/Radio-Canada are employed “on such terms and conditions and at such rates of remuneration as the Board deems fit”.
With regard to (a), (b) and (c), the employment agreements between CBC/Radio-Canada and chief correspondent and program host Peter Mansbridge, CBC/Radio-Canada and program host George Stroumboulopoulos are both competitive and programming information. The majority of expenses of Peter Mansbridge and George Stroumboulopoulos are incurred as part of their programming activities on behalf of CBC/Radio-Canada and are not public. It is not possible to separate programming from administrative expenses in the time provided for responding to this question. Their salary information is also protected in accordance with the federal Privacy Act.
The president of CBC/Radio-Canada is paid by the corporation remuneration at the rate fixed by the Governor in Council in accordance with subsection 43(1) in part III of the Broadcasting Act. Hubert T. Lacroix earns a salary in the CEO 7 range, which for 2011 was $358,400 to $421,600, as specified by the government at these websites: http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng&page=secretariats&sub=spsp-psps&doc=sal/sal2011-eng.htm and http://www.appointments.gc.ca/prflOrg.asp?OrgID=CBC&type-typ=3&lang=eng .
The president was appointed by Order in Council P.C. 2007-1658 of October 31, 2007, which is available on the government’s website of http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/oic-ddc.asp?lang=eng&Page=secretariats&txtOICID=2007-1658&txtFromDate=&txtToDate=&txtPrecis=&txtDepartment=&txtAct=&txtChapterNo=&txtChapterYear=&txtBillNo=&rdoComingIntoForce=&DoSearch=Search+%2F+List&viewattach=17438&blnDisplayFlg=1
With regard to (d), CBC/Radio-Canada does not provide Peter Mansbridge or George Stroumboulopoulos with a vehicle.
The president and CEO is provided with a vehicle and driver. In 2010, the vehicle was a 2007 Ford Five Hundred. In 2010 the vehicle was replaced with a 2011 Ford Taurus. The cost of the vehicle is approximately $10,900 per year. The salary range for the transportation assistant is $34,000- $56,500.
The expenses of the president and CEO are approved by the chair of CBC/Radio-Canada. They are also reviewed on a quarterly basis by CBC/Radio-Canada’s internal auditors. These expenses, dating back to 2007 when the president joined the corporation, are published each quarter on CBC/Radio-Canada’s public disclosure website at http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/docs/expenses/expenses_choice2.shtml.
The annual totals for the President’s claimed expenses since his appointment are as follows: 2007,$3,114.93; 2008, $59,324.70; 2009, $41,194.28; 2010, $48,913.23; and 2011, $29,810.51.
The corporation does not itemize expenses in the manner requested. The president’s claimed expenses, including copies of receipts, which have already been released through the access to information office, are publicly available on CBC/Radio-Canada’s websites: http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/docs/disclosure/pdf/A201100082.PDF, http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/PDF_files/expenses/2009/A200900221_2010-10-12_14-14-34.PDF, and http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/PDF_files/expenses/2008/A200800217_2010-10-19_10-15-01.PDF.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, for each of the more than 1,200 performances presented annually on its stages, the National Arts Centre, NAC, sets aside a small number of tickets for marketing, promotions and charitable giveaways. These tickets, which are called excess inventory, are often reserved for invited guests of the performing artists and guests of the show’s promoter, and for other marketing purpose, for example, radio contest giveaways, and for not-for-profit organizations to help them fundraise, as well as, on some occasions, to elected and unelected officials so they may attend NAC performances that showcase their regions or constituents.
In response to (a), the NAC does not have a system that tracks the number of, or who receives, excess inventory tickets, including giveaways, charitable fundraising, and guests of the artist, the promoter or the NAC.
In response to (b), as per standard industry practice, set by industry leaders such as Ticketmaster, excess inventory tickets provide no revenue, because they would not have been sold, and therefore have no monetary value.
Amendments to Community Plans December 15th, 2011
Madam Speaker, I would like to table today amendments to community plans for each of the following communities in Canada's national parks: Jasper and Field. These are documents that should have been tabled in routine proceedings, but I do so now.
Fair Representation Act December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague, in his speech, talked about the importance of proportional representation and how that would be the first principle of a possible NDP government in this country. He said that proportional representation is the most important electoral reform that we can put in place.
I do note that my hon. colleague used to be a cabinet minister in the province of Ontario. When he was elected in the province of Ontario, according to these numbers, I see that he was elected with 36% of the vote and 37% of the vote. I know he did not like proportional representation in those elections.
There is an NDP majority government in the province of Manitoba. There is an NDP government in Nova Scotia. There was an NDP government in British Columbia. If the NDP is so committed to proportional representation, then why does it not impose it now in the provinces in which that party governs? Is it possibly because NDP members are all talk and no action when it comes to this issue?
Fair Representation Act December 9th, 2011
Madam Speaker, as a fellow British Columbian you know very well that what the hon. member opposite said is entirely out of line, out of step and completely deaf to the fact of what you and I face in British Columbia, which is systemic under-representation in the House of the Commons and in the Senate, which this bill would absolutely address.
He said that all the bill would do is add seats to the House of Commons. That is not true. If he would read the bill, he would realize what the legislation would do. It would set in stage a formula over time that would bring this House of Commons absolutely into proper proportionate representation per citizen of the number of representatives in the House of Commons. That is what this bill would do. It would set in place a formula.
He also said that he does not have people beating down his door demanding that we add more members of Parliament to the House. That is not just what this bill would do.
I can tell members what he is also not hearing is demands from Canadians to have proportional representation. I have not heard citizens saying, “Gee, we really wish Canada had the political stability that Italy has”. That is not what Canadians want Canada to have. We have a responsible, effective system of governance that works, but it needs to be fixed for better balance. If the NDP really believes in proportional representation, why are the NDP governments of Manitoba and Nova Scotia and British Columbia not--
The Environment December 9th, 2011
You won it three years in a row.
Local Newspapers December 9th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, when we formed government, $75 million was being spent on local newspapers and periodicals. With the Canada Post subsidy today, we are spending $75 million on local newspapers, magazines and periodicals. There were no cuts. It is the same amount of money.
As a matter of fact, it was Canada Post that decided not to continue on with the postal subsidies. What did our government do? We made up that difference and invested 15 million new dollars to support local newspapers. It was the NDP who voted against it.
We delivered. The NDP voted against it. Now he asks questions and says, “Where is the government?” We were here. Where was he?