Carney pledges $150M boost to ‘underfunded’ CBC
Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced on Friday that his government is committed to providing an initial $150-million annual funding increase to CBC and Radio-Canada as part of a new mandate for the public broadcaster. Carney emphasized the need for adequate funding for the broadcaster, comparing it to other national public broadcasters in countries like the U.K., France, and Germany.
Carney stated that the initial funding increase could potentially rise in the coming years, with the goal of bringing the funding in line with that provided by other public broadcasters. He also highlighted that the funding for CBC and Radio-Canada would be made statutory, requiring approval from Parliament for any changes, rather than just the government’s cabinet.
The Liberal government’s mandate for strengthening the CBC includes enhancing local news coverage by increasing the number of local bureaus and reporters. Additionally, the mandate aims to ensure the clear and consistent dissemination of life-saving information during emergencies.
CBC received an estimated $1.38 billion in funding for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The plans outlined by Carney stand in contrast to those proposed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has expressed intentions to defund CBC while maintaining its French-language programming. However, CBC has stated that such a move would necessitate a rewrite of the Broadcasting Act, which mandates the corporation to provide programming in both French and English.
When asked about Carney’s funding pledge for CBC, Poilievre, campaigning in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, criticized the Liberal government’s spending habits. He suggested that Carney’s proposal for increased funding is indicative of the government’s tendency towards excessive spending.
In response to the parties’ positions on CBC/Radio-Canada during the election campaign, CBC spokesperson Eric Wright stated that the broadcaster would refrain from commenting. The announcement by Carney signifies a commitment to bolstering the public broadcaster’s resources and ensuring its sustainability for the future.
