OTTAWA, ON – The Liberal Party of Canada has committed to strengthening and modernizing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and IATSE stands firmly in support of this campaign promise. In a robust announcement, the Party pledged to strengthen the CBC’s mandate through a number of measures. With the country’s sovereignty under attack, Liberal Party of Canada Leader Mark Carney stated, “In this kind of crisis, protecting Canada’s identity is part of securing Canada.”

The proposed measures include: adding more local news bureaus and reporters to increase relevant and reliable news for all Canadians; equipping the broadcaster to further promote and support Canadian culture, including Québec’s unique culture, and; adding the clear and consistent transmission of life-saving information during emergencies to the CBC’s mandate. These measures will be accomplished by making CBC funding statutory, thereby empowering Parliament and the Canadian people to decide the institution’s future, and; providing an initial $150 million funding increase, while directing CBC/Radio-Canada to develop a strategic plan consistent with the new mandate.

John Lewis, IATSE Director of Canadian Affairs, noted that the CBC is the largest commissioner of original Canadian content. “In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to promote Canadian identity and to ensure that Canadian jobs are supported. In the last year alone,” he continued, “the CBC invested $400 million in independently-produced content across Canada, including dramas, comedies, documentaries, reality, lifestyle, and kids’ shows. That translates to a lot of jobs for Canadian entertainment industry workers, including IATSE members.”