Canadian Heritage committee  Since I am answering first, spontaneously, I am going to be parochial. I believe that Radio-Canada's mission in terms of news is a mission that should prevail over all others. I say that because the quality of democratic life and a quality of life for every citizen depends on it.

Canadian Heritage committee  For starters, I want to clarify that there is also an ombudsman for English services. I did not say that at the outset. I talked about 1,500 complaints. In general, one-third of them came from the public and did not concern the news service. Those complaints were sent on to the

Canadian Heritage committee  I have received complaints from people in Vancouver, Regina, Toronto and Moncton, and they dealt with radio.

Canadian Heritage committee  No.

Canadian Heritage committee  Your question would require a long answer.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes.

Canadian Heritage committee  During the 25 years that I spent at the French network, I was accused of being either a separatist or a federalist. I was the Radio-Canada Parliamentary Bureau Chief in Quebec City in 1980, and there was a referendum that year. I was also Director of the Réseau de l'information i

Canadian Heritage committee  There is another difference between Radio-Canada and private broadcasters. Radio-Canada broadcasts a much higher number of newsreports, current affairs programs and public affairs programs than private broadcasters do. That means that Radio-Canada investigates a series of topics

Canadian Heritage committee  During the first three years I was ombudsman, the subject that was most often complained about was the coverage of the Israeli and Palestinian situation. We especially heard very much about the use of the T-word--terrorist. Are these people terrorists or militants or...? There's

Canadian Heritage committee  In fact, I have heard this complaint before and shared it with management, because it did not concern journalistic behaviour or information broadcast on the air. I must tell you that Radio-Canada currently provides French services to 34 cities in Canada, including 16 in Quebec a

Canadian Heritage committee  That is not an easy question. At the moment, several things work to enhance CBC/Radio-Canada's independence from a political standpoint: the fact that the president is appointed for a given term, that the corporation is accountable to Parliament, and CBC/Radio-Canada has its own

Canadian Heritage committee  I would like to begin by thanking the committee for hearing me within the context of its investigation of the role of a public broadcaster in the 21stcentury. I consider it a privilege. I will start with a few words, because I am not as well known as my illustrious friend, to te