Is The CBC Going To Stand With Canadians?

I would declare that they should be productions of the CBC/Radio-Canada as part of your public service mandate to give all Canadians the right to hear all views. To advise me that this consortium of corporate funded and run organizations is somehow an unbiased group is an insult to the Canadian people. The monopoly of corporate views saturating the media is already undemocratic This simply confirms the hold they have on our electoral process. The Canadian Broadcasting system was created to give Canadians unbiased reporting and be a form of communications not tied to corporate influence. When you state that these four parties are the most ‘prominent’ you give further evidence that although the other parties are legally registered political parties in Canada, they will not be heard until they are famous, well-known, important as per the term ‘prominent’. Being well-known does not make the party the best choice for Canadians, and you are implying that it does, by your position. How does one become well-known without the influence of the media? If all candidates are equal under the eyes of the law, then by extension all parties are equal until the ballot is counted. Just because I ran a race three years ago and won, doesn’t give me a head start on this year’s race. You have gone on to say, “The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Guidelines for Broadcast Licensees do not require that debate programs feature all rival parties or candidates, as long as audiences are informed of the main issues and of the positions of all candidates and registered parties on those issues through other programming.” Once again, ‘the main issues’ as defined by who and through what other programming? The sound bites that appeared as the voice of small parties on CBC’s broadcast of Newsworld, could hardly equate to full disclosure of either the issues or the party platforms. Your final and most important point is that “CBC/Radio-Canada’s election coverage, in English and French, on air and online, will focus on such issues and ideas as integrity, corruption, agendas, competency, money, media, transparency, the democratic deficit, the courts vs. Parliament, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, minority vs. majority governments, leaders, the federal representatives vs. the provinces and, ultimately, power.” I would very much appreciate you explaining to me how you will deal with these issues? We have four parties being highlighted who have been involved in the sell out of Canada through the signing of Trade Deals which reduce our ability to self-govern. They have participated in the most scandalous issue of all which is our $500 billion national debt due to the total incompetence of several federal governments. They have all assisted in the liberty stripping legislation enacted as a rash emotional response to 9/11. Is it not the point of debate to have two views? You are highlighting 4 parties with the same view, the only difference being the manner in which we get to the same goal. If you do not have a voice that brings out those issues that are critical to Canada remaining a sovereign independent country, how can you suggest this is balanced? If you are suggesting that a broadcaster is going to ask those questions, none of the four parties will answer it. Only the Canadian Action Party will. The Canadian people are tired of hearing the parties calling each other names, and suggesting one is better than the other, or one policy is better than the other. We want to hear about what is happening in this country not in their party! The focus you refer to cannot be dealt with openly until you allow those who know and are willing to state the facts, the freedom to do so. Every fact I refer to is documented. This is not hype, it is fact. The people involved are not going to declare this to the Canadian people--are you? I look forward to you examining my letter and reconsidering CBC’s role as an independent voice willing to expose the demise of our country before it is too late. Yours truly Catherine Whelan Costen Canadian Action Party President & Communications Director Cc: CBC President Robert Rabinovitch : robert_rabinovitch@cbc.ca Ombudsman for the CBC ombudsman@cbc.ca Chief Electoral Officer Transmitted via fax Media Connie Fogal, Leader Canadian Action Party [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on December 14, 2005]