THE FUTURE OF CANADA AND THE CBC
A BRIEF BY THE SENIORS’ ACTION AND LIAISON TEAM (SALT)
Draft 1- 2007/01/17, Draft 2-2007/01/20, Draft 3-2007/01/24
A Haiku: Can we find a way…through drifting, numbing turmoil…to a new springtime?
The Future. Now, more than ever, Canada must be resolute in charting its own course through the interesting times in which we now find ourselves. Canadians have dire need for some form of public broadcasting system that has as its major and overriding purpose the advancing of the common good. We need a distinctly Canadian voice to help Canadians learn the intricacies of the issues and problems that lie ahead. These include such things as global warming that endangers all current life forms on the planet, control of our own economy which is largely foreign owned, the alarming growth in the gap between the rich and poor in our country, the poisoning of our ecosystem by the toxic wastes we generate, the dysfunctional deficiencies we have in our governing systems in Canada, and the dominant influence on our culture by our neighbour to the south which we have done little to resist, as examples.
Media Concentration. The electronic and print media in Canada is essentially under the control of a small number of very large corporate, for-profit, entities. In several cases, all forms of media are under the control of the same corporate conglomerates. Because these entities are corporations or are family owned, their main purpose is to generate income for their owners rather than fostering the public interest. This is the reason Canada has not received favourable marks on the International Corruption Scale. The US media is similarly very concentrated in the hands of the a small number of corporate elites. A good variety of private media outlets with differing perspectives and types of programming is much needed in democratic societies. But it is crucial, particularly in Canada, that there be a vibrant and nation-wide public interest media to balance the private media preponderance with their own interest perspectives.
CBC and the Common Good. CBC needs to become a publicly supported, not-for-profit, media voice through radio, television, the world wide web, and other media formats as they are developed. Its goal should be to foster the common good and the civil society, while safeguarding the very important rights of minorities and individuals in Canada and abroad. It should advance the knowledge and understanding of Canadian culture in all its forms. Reciprocally, through CBC, Canadians need to have a sound appreciation of cultures and developments in other countries. We need CBC to inform and educate us about all the variables that diminish or enhance all the interrelated life forms on our planet. CBC has a vital role to play helping Canadians develop a truly dynamic, democratic and participatory milieu locally, provincially and federally so we can choose as a nation the wisest course possible for the future of Canada and our planet.
Governance of CBC. CBC cannot function as an effective voice for Canadians with all the political interference it has endured. As a nation, we cannot tolerate the distortions this interference creates if CBC is to play the vital role we envisage for it. Governance of CBC must be taken from the Federal government in power at any particular time and given to the people of Canada in a non-political way.
SALT envisions a CBC Governing Council (GC) selected in a way similar to the citizens’ assembly created in BC a few years back to recommend on the electoral system there. This would mean a GC of sixty persons at a minimum selected at random from citizens willing to provide this public service. The random selection method should be stratified by gender and by regions in Canada. Once selected, the GC should select its own professional leadership people with advice from employees of CBC. The Governing Council should have reasonably lengthy terms, say six years, and terms should be staggered so that, every two years, one third of its members are replaced. The GC should select its own Chair from among its members. CBC staff should have ex officio members on the GC. The GC should make extensive and meaningful use of public advisory committees set up in all regions in Canada.
Financing of CBC. CBC has not had an increase in its budget for the last fifteen years! That is a national disgrace! It is absolutely imperative that this situation change for the betterment of CBC and us all. A revitalized CBC needs sound, stable funding from year to year. The Governing Council of CBC, as proposed above, needs to conduct research and public consultations across Canada on this issue. The purpose of this process is to determine a financing system, such as use of a percentage of our Gross National Product, to be implemented yearly by the Federal Government in financing CBC as a dynamic and effective voice for the common good in Canada. We need to end financial cuts to CBC because of political dogma or because CBC might criticize the party in power. Reasoned criticism is a pillar of a democracy!
Priorities. SALT recommends that CBC have as priorities the following domains:
a. Canada as a truly democratic, participatory, just, equitable and learning society.
b. Canadian news and public affairs, internationally, nationally and locally.
c. Canadian culture in all its diversity.
d. Canadian identities.
e . Canadian issues which have impact on the common good, internationally, nationally and locally.
f. Canadians knowing Canadians, through development of a sense of national community.
g. Canadians as thoughtful, literate, articulate, fit and happy individuals.
h. Canadians knowing of, and learning from, other nations, world-wide.
i. Others in the world knowing about Canada
.
j. Canada as an ecologically sound and sustainable society.
Brian Staples, SALT Chair, 9606 96 Street, Edmonton, T6C3Z1, p/f 780 4668042, 4668047,
brianstaples@shaw.ca SALT is a social action group in Edmonton made up of seniors.
This document will be approved by SALT on ----/--/--.
A BRIEF BY THE SENIORS’ ACTION AND LIAISON TEAM (SALT)
Draft 1- 2007/01/17, Draft 2-2007/01/20, Draft 3-2007/01/24
A Haiku: Can we find a way…through drifting, numbing turmoil…to a new springtime?
The Future. Now, more than ever, Canada must be resolute in charting its own course through the interesting times in which we now find ourselves. Canadians have dire need for some form of public broadcasting system that has as its major and overriding purpose the advancing of the common good. We need a distinctly Canadian voice to help Canadians learn the intricacies of the issues and problems that lie ahead. These include such things as global warming that endangers all current life forms on the planet, control of our own economy which is largely foreign owned, the alarming growth in the gap between the rich and poor in our country, the poisoning of our ecosystem by the toxic wastes we generate, the dysfunctional deficiencies we have in our governing systems in Canada, and the dominant influence on our culture by our neighbour to the south which we have done little to resist, as examples.
Media Concentration. The electronic and print media in Canada is essentially under the control of a small number of very large corporate, for-profit, entities. In several cases, all forms of media are under the control of the same corporate conglomerates. Because these entities are corporations or are family owned, their main purpose is to generate income for their owners rather than fostering the public interest. This is the reason Canada has not received favourable marks on the International Corruption Scale. The US media is similarly very concentrated in the hands of the a small number of corporate elites. A good variety of private media outlets with differing perspectives and types of programming is much needed in democratic societies. But it is crucial, particularly in Canada, that there be a vibrant and nation-wide public interest media to balance the private media preponderance with their own interest perspectives.
CBC and the Common Good. CBC needs to become a publicly supported, not-for-profit, media voice through radio, television, the world wide web, and other media formats as they are developed. Its goal should be to foster the common good and the civil society, while safeguarding the very important rights of minorities and individuals in Canada and abroad. It should advance the knowledge and understanding of Canadian culture in all its forms. Reciprocally, through CBC, Canadians need to have a sound appreciation of cultures and developments in other countries. We need CBC to inform and educate us about all the variables that diminish or enhance all the interrelated life forms on our planet. CBC has a vital role to play helping Canadians develop a truly dynamic, democratic and participatory milieu locally, provincially and federally so we can choose as a nation the wisest course possible for the future of Canada and our planet.
Governance of CBC. CBC cannot function as an effective voice for Canadians with all the political interference it has endured. As a nation, we cannot tolerate the distortions this interference creates if CBC is to play the vital role we envisage for it. Governance of CBC must be taken from the Federal government in power at any particular time and given to the people of Canada in a non-political way.
SALT envisions a CBC Governing Council (GC) selected in a way similar to the citizens’ assembly created in BC a few years back to recommend on the electoral system there. This would mean a GC of sixty persons at a minimum selected at random from citizens willing to provide this public service. The random selection method should be stratified by gender and by regions in Canada. Once selected, the GC should select its own professional leadership people with advice from employees of CBC. The Governing Council should have reasonably lengthy terms, say six years, and terms should be staggered so that, every two years, one third of its members are replaced. The GC should select its own Chair from among its members. CBC staff should have ex officio members on the GC. The GC should make extensive and meaningful use of public advisory committees set up in all regions in Canada.
Financing of CBC. CBC has not had an increase in its budget for the last fifteen years! That is a national disgrace! It is absolutely imperative that this situation change for the betterment of CBC and us all. A revitalized CBC needs sound, stable funding from year to year. The Governing Council of CBC, as proposed above, needs to conduct research and public consultations across Canada on this issue. The purpose of this process is to determine a financing system, such as use of a percentage of our Gross National Product, to be implemented yearly by the Federal Government in financing CBC as a dynamic and effective voice for the common good in Canada. We need to end financial cuts to CBC because of political dogma or because CBC might criticize the party in power. Reasoned criticism is a pillar of a democracy!
Priorities. SALT recommends that CBC have as priorities the following domains:
a. Canada as a truly democratic, participatory, just, equitable and learning society.
b. Canadian news and public affairs, internationally, nationally and locally.
c. Canadian culture in all its diversity.
d. Canadian identities.
e . Canadian issues which have impact on the common good, internationally, nationally and locally.
f. Canadians knowing Canadians, through development of a sense of national community.
g. Canadians as thoughtful, literate, articulate, fit and happy individuals.
h. Canadians knowing of, and learning from, other nations, world-wide.
i. Others in the world knowing about Canada
.
j. Canada as an ecologically sound and sustainable society.
Brian Staples, SALT Chair, 9606 96 Street, Edmonton, T6C3Z1, p/f 780 4668042, 4668047,
brianstaples@shaw.ca SALT is a social action group in Edmonton made up of seniors.
This document will be approved by SALT on ----/--/--.
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