Imagine if a wrestling promoter bought the CBC

Sign petition urging Harper to continue funding the Canada's national communications link.

from Friends of CBC

On May 3rd, just one day after the Conservative Party won a majority government, Heritage Minister James Moore said:

We believe in the national public broadcaster. We have said that we will maintain or increase support for the CBC. That is our platform and we have said that before and will commit to that.

Minister Moore's remarks echoed the words of dozens of Conservative MPs who made the same pledge to local voters before and during the election. Yet, just a few months later, Moore changed his tune. During an appearance on the CBC Radio program Q, Moore lowered the boom on the CBC:

"The CBC has to do its part. The idea that the CBC can't find five percent efficiencies… to give back to the broader economic framework is silly. Of course the CBC will be part of this overall process."

Since that statement, it has been reported that the government will target the CBC for a 10 percent budget cut. And if the government cancels an annual "program top-up" of $60 million, the total cut could amount to more than $160 million. A cut of this magnitude would have devastating consequences, further dumbing down of CBC News, cancelling plans for new regional services and even forcing the CBC to close stations.

CBC is not part of the government's deficit problem. In fact, the CBC's budget has declined steadily over the years.

Almost every day, Conservative MPs rise in the House of Commons calling for the de-funding of our national public broadcaster. Some are sponsoring petitions and trumped up "polls" on their websites to attack the CBC. Currently, Rob Anders, the Conservative MP for Calgary West, is circulating an online petition to the House of Commons calling on the Conservative government to "end public funding of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation".

And, the fundraising wing of the Conservative Party has also launched a loaded survey which asks financial supporters "In recent years, CBC funding has exceeded a billion dollars per year. Do you think taxpayers receive good value or bad value from the CBC?" The fundraising pitch goes on to say that "This survey is very, very important to our legislative planning".

Conservative MPs have not stopped there. With the head of SUN Media cheering from the sidelines, the Conservatives have also launched offensives against the CBC at two Parliamentary Committees.

When it comes to the CBC, the latest opinion research shows the Conservative government is off side with the Canadian public who hold our public broadcaster in high regard, believe that the CBC is doing an excellent job, and value highly the important role it plays.

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Tell the Harper government you don't want them to dismantle a national communications link that most Canadians want to maintain. Sign the following short petition at the link below, which will go to the Prime Minister and your Member of Parliament.

I call on your government to keep its election promise to maintain or increase funding to the CBC. After years of brutal budget cuts, more of the same will kill our public broadcaster. Do the right thing. Keep your promise.

References
  Original article
  Online petition