Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, while maintaining the mandate. Well, it's a question of choices and of priorities. It's something every single business company has on a daily basis, because they don't have limitless funds. Right now, what you're looking at are the choices within the framework of the funding; this is what CBC/Radio-Canada has right now.

Canadian Heritage committee  I have a very strong vision. Maybe I didn't hint at that as strongly as I thought I had at the beginning. Let me give you the vision again. I took this job because I really think that CBC/Radio-Canada plays a role in the lives of Canadians on a daily basis. It played a role in my life.

Canadian Heritage committee  I don't want to duck the question, sir, but I start on January 2, and I need time. I need to listen. I need to understand the organization, and I will be happy to share with you where I'm going the next time I have the great opportunity of sitting down with you.

Canadian Heritage committee  Mr. Batters, the most important thing I think I don't want to do right now is walk into that organization with preconceived notions, because that would be a very important management mistake. I'm going to listen. I'm going to assess this corporation. I'm coming in with an open mind.

Canadian Heritage committee  My role will be to direct the business and ensure that people like Sylvain Lafrance and Richard Strusberg, who have programming talent, and the teams set up by those two businessmen, can do their jobs and deliver good programming. For me, the strategic orientation will mainly consist in supporting the work of the entire CBC/Radio-Canada team, the result of which it will be possible to see on the airwaves and on the Web every day.

Canadian Heritage committee  Of course. The mandate under the act suggests that CBC/Radio-Canada should do much more than the private network where I worked. At Télémédia, there weren't any major cultural measures. The prevailing measures were very commercial and turned on a single concern, whether we were able to increase our market share.

Canadian Heritage committee  The answer is yes. I've personally answered each of the e-mails that have been sent to me and to each, or nearly so, of the letters that I've received. Can I give my impressions of the comments that these people have made about programming? Absolutely not.

Canadian Heritage committee  I mainly worked in the field of sports. However, a number of people from the Corporation were kind enough to send me all kinds of nice letters welcoming me. People from a number of sectors and networks also welcomed me, which I very much appreciated.

Canadian Heritage committee  Let's go with the question with respect to the challenges before the CBC, and then I'll tell you how I think management techniques, or what I've done before, can help. A few minutes ago, I think the first question somebody asked me was what risks I saw right now in the environment that Radio-Canada is playing in.

Canadian Heritage committee  This could come back and haunt me!

Canadian Heritage committee  They are ruling the media and the broadcast industry. That is a fact. They are powerful now and have brands and services that extend way beyond only one aspect of what they do. We're talking about the principle of convergence here. I mean, everybody now has picked it up and is doing that, and Radio-Canada is also.

Canadian Heritage committee  Indeed.

Canadian Heritage committee  You've seen the management team of CBC/Radio-Canada in front of you many times. I think Mr. Rabinovitch's first concern was making sure the management of this company was something everybody would be proud of. Once the house were in order, which I understand it is now, then coming back here to share with this committee some of the concerns and issues we have, and making sure you endorse some of the projects we have, is surely one of the ways to make sure we have all the revenues we need.

Canadian Heritage committee  On regionalization, I know you've read the Broadcasting Act, of which a very important part states what Radio-Canada should be doing. If you look at the stated objectives of CBC/Radio-Canada in its plan for 2007-2011, regionalization is also very clearly stated as an objective and a priority for the corporation.

Canadian Heritage committee  You're talking to someone who has worked in the circle of Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, the man who started ParticipACTION, and who sits on the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. You know Mr. Chagnon's interest in the obesity problem and in fitness, for all kinds of reasons. You are absolutely right when you describe me in those terms.