Canadian Heritage committee  As the situation is right now, we have the act. We also appear before the CRTC relatively regularly, and on a five or six-year review basis, on our actual licenses. They set the conditions of licence, some of which, unfortunately--especially on the French side in the last round--were unbelievably detailed, with x number of hours of variety, y number of hours of this, etc.

Canadian Heritage committee  Sure. I would start by reminding members that the A-base, the core base of CBC, has not been increased since 1974. The last time that we had an A-base increase was in 1974. As well, in 1995 we took a $400 million cut as part of our contribution to the government of the day's desire to wrestle the deficit.

Canadian Heritage committee  I find that a very hard question to answer. I think it has been posed to me before at committee--

Canadian Heritage committee  I was being polite. We have come forward to government in terms of certain particular programs, for example, to extend the radio service. We believed that would cost us $25 million in capital and $25 million in operating funds. We did an HD analysis, in terms of if we want to accelerate HD, and it's in the $100 million to $150 million range.

Canadian Heritage committee  I absorbed all your time.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that. I believe that it's an important factor to try to develop programs in different regions. We do try to pursue that, particularly with our news and current affairs programming in English and in French. At the same time, one must recognize that like all countries there tends to be in our case two significant centres of production.

Canadian Heritage committee  With your permission, I would like Sylvain to start.

Canadian Heritage committee  The same applies to your second question, since RCI is in his area of responsibility. So if you wish, he will also answer your second question.

Canadian Heritage committee  It's expensive; I can tell you that. We are moving to digital in our programming as quickly as we can. For example, on the French side all of Sylvain's studios are now HD digital, but his news service is not yet. That was a priority. We decided to go with drama, because of production in Sylvain's shop, so we moved there first.

Canadian Heritage committee  Sure. I actually didn't put out a number until I was asked, because the number is I think something that you as a committee, if you go this route, might want to consider: what you think is most appropriate. Broadcasting is a very fast-changing environment, and in particular public broadcasting.

Canadian Heritage committee  The seven to ten years allows you the planning reference framework that we need to develop programs. From the time a program is an idea to the time it's written up as a scenario to the time it's financed to the time it actually gets on air is usually three to four years. And then you want to test the program for a couple of years to see how it's going to work.

Canadian Heritage committee  Without necessarily amending the act? Is that what you mean by the mandate?

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, I think you can. I think the act is written quite broadly and allows and encourages the CBC to use the most efficient means possible to try to reach the maximum number of Canadians. So I don't think it calls for an amendment to the act, but I would welcome your report's endorsing the need for us to be in all forms of new media.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the committee, thank you for inviting us back to talk with you about the mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada. We has been following the work of this committee over the past nine months as you have studied our mandate. We are eager to discuss with you what you have heard, and your thoughts about what Canadians want from their national public broadcaster.