Letter from Tom Mulcair to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

On reinstating funding for the CBC/Radio-Canada

Dear Minister,

We are writing to you today following reports that your government may back down from its election promise to reinvest $150 million annually in CBC/Radio-Canada.

As you know, the Crown corporation was targeted by the previous Conservative government. It suffered major cuts which led to massive job losses, program cuts, and a decline in diversity of content. As a result, our public broadcaster is scrambling to continue to produce quality content in very difficult conditions.

Your party campaigned on a promise to reverse these cuts and reinvest in our public broadcaster. Your platform stated:

''We will protect the interests of our national broadcaster, in the interests of all Canadians. We will reverse Stephen Harper’s cuts and invest $150 million in new annual funding for CBC/Radio-Canada, to be delivered in consultation with the broadcaster and the Canadian cultural community.''

It is now time to take action and fulfill your promise to increase funding by $150 million in your government’s first budget. After years of deep cuts, it is unacceptable for the cultural sector to face this kind of uncertainty once again.

Canadians and Quebecers fought hard to ensure the future of our public broadcaster. They want CBC/Radio-Canada to continue to have the means to play its role of informing and entertaining Canadians, and supporting Canada’s cultural sector. For Francophones throughout the country, this role is even more crucial for the development of their communities.

Since it was created 80 years ago this year, CBC/Radio-Canada has been a core institution of our culture, identity, and expression of our unique character. Let us give it the means to continue this work for another 80 years to come.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Thomas Mulcair
Leader, New Democratic Party

Pierre Nantel
Member for Longueil- Saint-Hubert NDP critic for Canadian Heritage