CBC/Radio-Canada: Thomas’ silence, the tough exchange between Trudeau and Poilievre

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the leader of the official opposition, Pierre Poilievre, both took to the front in Parliament on Wednesday to “defend” Radio-Canada after a Conservative MP remained silent after being questioned about the future of French-language programming from the public broadcaster.

Do you think Radio-Canada should remain open? Alberta MP Rachael Thomas, heritage spokesperson for the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), remained frozen for 18 long seconds after this question from journalist Laurence Martin on Tuesday, following the CEO’s appearance of CBC/Radio-Canada, Catherine Tait, before a parliamentary committee.

Why don’t you want to answer this question?repeated the Radio-Canada journalist without provoking the slightest reaction from Ms. Thomas who remained silent, her gaze frozen.

Is it because you think it should also close? Because your boss said he wanted it to stay opensaid the journalist again. I’m with my bossfinally declared Rachael Thomas.

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This incident found itself at the center of an exchange on Wednesday between Prime Minister Trudeau and the Conservative leader, during question period in the House of Commons.

Pierre Poilievre says he wants to stop funding CBC while maintaining Radio-Canada’s French programming. His predecessors had also promised to cut funding for the state corporation, which receives its share of public funds when MPs adopt the federal budget.

While answering a question about possible sanctions against Liberal MP Francis Drouin, who made remarks in a parliamentary committee considered vulgar against two witnesses who campaign for the protection of French in Quebec, Justin Trudeau claimed that his party was there to defend the Francophonie throughout the countrythen counterattacked by mentioning Ms. Thomas.

The deputy [Drouin] apologized and withdrew his comments, but what we also saw was that their own heritage MP was unable to defend Radio-Canada when [on lui] asked a direct questionlaunched Mr. Trudeau.

The Conservatives want to cut [les fonds] from CBC and Radio-Canada and they should say it more clearlyhe added.

We are the ones who will protect Radio-Canada and eliminate the big bureaucracy at CBCreplied Mr. Poilievre, to the applause of his deputies.

The CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada had to face a barrage of questions from Conservative MPs on Tuesday during her appearance before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in Ottawa. The questions mainly focused on bonuses granted to executives of the state-owned company, while the public broadcaster faces financial turmoil.

Before Catherine Tait’s appearance, the public broadcaster sent a letter to the committee chair in March, accusing Conservative MPs of deliberately spreading false accusations against the company and Ms Tait.

The missive indicated that deliberately false accusations had damaged the reputation of Catherine Tait and that of CBC/Radio-Canada. Conservative MPs Kevin Waugh and Rachael Thomas were notably targeted for the comments they had made.

Both MPs had accused Ms Tait of lying and misleading the committee about executive bonuses at a previous meeting.

Ms Tait said no decision on executive bonuses had yet been made for the 2023-24 financial year, but the issue would be discussed in mid-June with the board.

She insisted that this is performance pay which is part of the overall remuneration of certain employees under existing contracts.

Catherine Tait, who must remain in office until January 2025, did not rule out, this time again, the possibility of a bonus which could be paid to her up to nine months after her departure.

In December, CBC/Radio-Canada announced that it planned to eliminate 600 jobs and 200 vacant positions and cut $40 million in production. The public broadcaster explained it would aim to close a projected deficit of $125 million in the 2024-25 financial year.

But the projected new revenues, including a $42 million injection from the federal government, will help the company avoid further job cuts this year, Ms Tait told MPs on Tuesday.

In total, the public broadcaster has eliminated 205 vacant positions and laid off 141 employees since December, she said.

With information from The Canadian Press