Toasted Western

Not sure what this has to do with media but, since it's under the auspices of the Canadian Journalism Foundation, it must be relevant in some way.

The West is in - now what?

Tuesday April 4, 2006-- Presentation @ 6:30pm

Canadian politics over the course of the past 30 years has seen a surge of discontent in the West.  Many Westerners today can recite a list of indignities they feel were committed by Ottawa against their interests over that period.  Beginning with the National Energy Policy, and ranging to issues like the CF 18 maintenance contract and softwood lumber, there is a deep sense in many quarters of the West that Confederation no longer favours anyone west of Kenora. 

This rising malaise found its voice in the Reform movement, and continues to resonate deeply in the psyche of Westerners.  Couple this dissatisfaction with the growing economic fortunes of the oil patch and a burgeoning disconnect with Eastern Canada on social issues, as well as questions on Senate and electoral reform, and the potential for significant change is in the air.  Overlay it all with a new Tory government led by Calgary MP Stephen Harper in the nation's capital that draws much of its support from the West, and the potential for a different kind of Canada to emerge becomes a distinct possibility.  How will this changing political landscape affect Canadians?  What is Alberta’s place in Canada and how will the federal government address Alberta’s growing wealth?

Join Jim Dinning, former Alberta cabinet minister and a leading candidate to succeed Ralph Klein as leader of the Alberta Conservative party and Premier, David Taras, author and professor in the faculty of communication and culture at the University of Calgary, Don Martin, columnist for the National Post and the Calgary Herald, and moderator John Honderich, journalist and former publisher of the Toronto Star, for a lively discussion on what kind of impact we can expect the rise of the West to have on Canada's future.

I get saddle sores just thinking of sitting through this one.

More details here.

To be or not to be?

CBC president and chief executive officer Robert Rabinovitch hits the rubber chicken crowd tomorrow. He's speaking to the Empire Club, at the Fairmount Royal York Hotel, at 1. Here's the blurb, annotated by yours truly:

In a land as geographically vast and diverse as ours we have always needed something to bind us together.

Indeed. Maple syrup is sticky enough.

Sir John A.  Macdonald recognized this and built a railway from one end of the country to the other. 

And looks what's happened to that.

Alan Plaunt and Graham Spry recognized this and set out to build a public radio network that would help to forge a Canadian identity.

Both Canadian heroes. They would weep today at what Parliament has wrought.

But while the rest of the western world continues to provide strong support for public broadcasting, Canada has allowed its English television sector to become one of the weakest in the western world. 

So why not kill it and give us those U.S. commercials on the Super Bowl?

Given the powerful role television plays in our cultural lives, it is time to change that.  It's time to ask, do we want public television in Canada?  Are we willing to pay for it? How are we going to fix it?

So many questions. So little time.

Meanwhile, NDP Heritage critic Charlie Angus is biting the ankles of CBC's new Conservative overlords. Here's his release of today:

Ottawa - NDP Heritage Critic Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Heritage Minister Bev Oda to come clean with Canadians on the government’s plan for the CBC.

Angus says Harper’s election promise to maintain a vital national broadcaster simply lacks credibility. In response, the NDP has released a four-point plan that will serve as a road map for pushing cultural issues through the 39th Parliament.

The “Four Point Plan for Broadcast Sovereignty” includes the following priorities:
- Change the Governance Structure of CBC Board of Directors -- ending the patronage appointment process and giving the Board the power to hire or fire the CEO.
- Ensure stable long term funding to expand regional programming.
- Maintain clear limits on foreign ownership of Canadian airwaves.
- Restore the obligation of Canadian broadcasters to promote home-grown drama.

Angus says that after years of Liberal neglect, a new mandate is necessary to restore the viability of the CBC.

“The Liberals have left the CBC in terrible shape. Regional programming was slashed, domestic drama content withered and the corporation limped along with a continual series of patronage appointments. It’s time we pushed for a clear new mandate for the nation’s broadcaster,” said Angus.

Ending the patronage appointment system is a must for the rebuilding of the CBC to have any credibility.

“The current CBC President has routinely locked out employees, cut off programming to the nation, driven Canadian content levels to record lows and all but ignored CRTC expectations,” said Angus. “Yet, the CBC President is unaccountable for his actions.”

Angus says he is willing to work with the Conservatives on ending the patronage system at the CBC but he will fight any attempts by the Conservatives to further marginalize our national broadcaster.

Just what CBC and this country needs: another re-re-re-evaluation of CBC's mandate. I can't see the Conservatives bothering, especially since it will be just another expensive boondoggle. Besides, these things go on so long, there's no chance this government will survive the process.

The question is, will CBC survive this government?

So far, so good. But so far, it looks like a policy of benign neglect.

Best to leave sleeping dogs lie.