Published Apr 24, 2025 • Last updated 5 hours ago • 2 minute readPlans by Conservative leader Pierre Poiliever, seen at a rally in Halifax on Thursday, to defuind the CBC would be ‘a travesty,’ says a New Waterford voter. Photo by Ryan Taplin /PostmediaI am writing concerning Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s ongoing announcements that he is planning to make major changes to the funding of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. His plan is to either to defund it, or to change the model to something akin to the American PBS. Either way the CBC, founded in 1936, would be decimated or destroyed.Poilievre hasn’t given any clear reasoning for attacking the CBC except to say that he considers it to be too expensive at $1.38 billion per annum. The CBC’s per capita funding (roughly 14 cents per person per day) is below that of almost all countries that have a national broadcaster.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentSo, what do we get for our dollars?In short, we get extensive, quality assured programming of news (Canadian and international), current affairs, sports, human interest, the arts, sciences, drama and so much more. Television and radio are broadcast to almost everyone in this vast country, in both official languages and five indigenous languages. The CBC provides meteorological information and where necessary information vital for the safety of people in the event of emergencies.As we have seen recently it is an organization that is vital to support democracy. CBC radio does programming that provides considerable in-depth information on a vast range of issues, mainstream and esoteric. It also does a considerable number of programs that engage Canadians by phone, soliciting input on a range of issues as well as providing information on matters of general interest. One issue that should not be ignored is that the CBC contributes so very much to the quality of life of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.Article contentThe CBC has been recording people from all walks of life who have contributed in their own way in so many fields of activity and artistry. The result is that we have accumulated an enormous archive of recordings going back for almost 90 years that are available to researchers, historians, scientists, musicians, writers and people with special interests that is of extraordinary importance.Moreover, that activity continues so that people a hundred years hence will be able to find out what made us tick.Since before Confederation newspapers have played an important role in keeping people informed about their communities, provinces and their country. Newspapers are diminishing in their role, largely being replaced by electronic media. It is crucial that everyone has access to quality information of all sorts. CTV provides excellent programming and coverage of news, commentary and documentaries, but it is important that there be more than one provider, this is not a field that should be dominated by one organization, competition is vital.The contribution of the CBC to the lives of Canadians cannot be overestimated. It would be a travesty if a small group with agenda-driven priorities be allowed to destroy a vibrant and important service that has been serving Canadians so well for almost 90 years. Great institutions can be destroyed so easily, rebuilding them is much more difficult.I hope that people everywhere in the country will stand up and make their voices heard so that the CBC will not be consigned to the scrap heap. It’s important!Peter LittlejohnNew WaterfordArticle content
LETTER: Poilievres plans to defund CBC a travesty
