Today it was announced that the CBC can expect a 10% cut in its government funding in the upcoming budget, not that you would have noticed with all the hoopla over Robogate. James Moore has to be pretty choked up over this one. I can already see Pat Martin's Tweets tomorrow that the Tories are trying to suppress the CBC from investigating and reporting on Robogate while declaring war on Canadian culture; killing two birds with one stone. Though it should be mentioned that the once right leaning National Post has been hammering Robogate with as much vigour as the public broadcaster, again with no evidence of wrong doing. The first place that the CBC should be looking to cut is employee salaries. We don't know what Mansbridge, Soloman, or Strombolopulus get paid, but it's a safe bet that the number is way too big.
Will the national media and opposition parties start accusing the Tories of "suppressing" the CBC? Give it a week, though it should happen sooner than that. Turns out the CBC has a large number of employees in the top 10% of Canadian wage earners. Will the 90% revolt against the fat cats at the CBC? Don't expect any tents to pop up outside CBC HQ anytime soon.
Obviously, pretty well all of us would like to see the CBC sold off. But politically, I think this 10 % cut is the right way to go.
ReplyDeleteWhy ? Because from Harper's election platform, he only asked for a mandate to cut spending in all departements by "5 to 10 %". He did not seek, nor does he now have, a mandate from the voters to scrap the CBC.
If he scrapped the CBC now, the Opps will legitimately point this out at the next campaign, and more credibly make the case that Harper can't be trusted. Harper's high "trust" and "competence" numbers are probably the CPC's biggest asset in a campaign.
The 3 that you mentioned are the 3 least important people in Canada,(except to the left)If he doesn't begin defunding the CBC,then he'll have the grassroots angry at him,and the CPC,and at this time it's one thing he surely doesn't want to happen.
ReplyDeleteDoes that include the increased funding they recently received because if so they are only back to their pre-increase budget. Maybe it was all a ruse to make us think they are cutting now.
ReplyDeleteIt's a start, hopefully we'll see another 10% in the 2013 Budget,
ReplyDeleteBut it's not enough to stop the tens and tens of millions that they spend on their clandestine political operations designed to prop up the Liberals, NDP, Greens and their support of international socialism, with taxpayer’s money of course.
I wonder how much they surreptitiously funneled into that creep Obama’s election and re-election campaigns? Same goes for the lil Turd. I highly doubt that it’s only propaganda support that they’re giving him. He’s the CBC’s candidate for being the next installed leader of the Liberal Party, and if they ever get their coup attempts perfected, the next puppet Prime Minister of Canada.
But they get to keep their books secret from the lowly taxpayers prying eyes, so I guess we don’t get to know these things. For now anyways.
What they need to do now with the CBC is, as Iceman said, leave the cut at 10%. This leaves the Tories looking reasonable, and they can go before the electorate in four years and state they did exactly what they said they were going to do. No more, no less.
ReplyDeleteThat said, they should pass legislation (or whatever they need to do) to continue to beggar the CBC. I'd start by making it illegal for anyone at the CBC to spend money on:
1). First class/business class air travel. Let 'em sit at the back of the plane with the rest of us proles.
2). Not allow them to expense liquor.
3). Not allow them to expense business lunches that aren't approved by the minister.
4). Not allow them to use limos, cabs, or rented cars if there is a CBC outlet somewhere near. If the head of CBC lands in Vancouver, for example, he doesn't need a limo to the hotel Vancouver. Someone can come pick him up --after all, the CBC owns hundreds of vehicles.
5). Not allow them to rent any facility for meetings/conferences without the permission of the minister.
6). Cap their expenses for cars/meals/etc. Fire anyone that exceeds that limit.
7). And this is the most important one: make it illegal for CBC to advertise, except on the CBC. So no more buying ad space (and articles) in Canada's media, which effectively stifles any criticism of the ceeb. How friendly would the Globe and Mail/Post Media be the CBC if the taps were turned off?
they should cut 100 percent then I would be happy
ReplyDeleteCBC just overed 1/2 hour of Boob Rae giving a press conference. Nancy Wilson called him the LEADER. He wants to beat PM Harper coming on at 12:15 with Netanyahu. Who cares what idiot Rae thinks? He's not the Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteThe real reason the the press conference was to smear, once again, the Govt. and robocalls. He's UPSET he says because the Conservatives are going to the Thunder bay call centre and going over the outgoing calls ahead of Elections Canada.I heard CBC and the opposition saying yesterday and the day before that Elections Canada was investigating the call centre in Thunder Bay. So many Bob Rae lies its hard to keep track.
So many Bob Rae lies its hard to keep track.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course not just the CBC but no media calls him on it. They let him get away with it and yet look how they treat Conservatives. Total double standard.
We do not need to wrap ourselves in any moral garments in order to improve the CBC. The opportunity to have a state broadcast that promotes Canada, it's people and it's value is something that has been lost in today's debates.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that the CBC does not even try to accomplish any meaningful role on behalf of Canada. I find it abhorrent and sad beyond tears that so much opportunity has been lost by our state broadcast on issues that could contribute to a better Canada.
A cut of 100% of subsidize would be the appropriate amount unless there is a major change in the culture, role and operation of the CBC.
10% less porn
ReplyDelete