Let's Not Just Center Out The CBC

The reluctance of many groups getting funding from various levels of government are aghast when you ask them to account for their grants and will usually see which of their labels they can stick on you, they don't file the requiredannual paperwork and still they are given more money. Call Toronto city hall and ask for a report on the various art and cultural groups given money by the city.

I don’t see a problem with the request

February 29th, 2008

The Conservatives want the CBC to give them detailed costings of future endeavors before handing over any more dough. Why is this a problem? If I go into the bank and want a loan, I have to give all sorts of information - and yet it’s my responsibility to pay the money back.If I want to book a venue for my wedding, I request an estimate. The CBC wants money for nothing, no strings attached… yet it won’t even say what it’s for.

“Without having a full costing of the recommendations,” he [Ed Fast] said, “the government can’t respond. The challenge we have put to other parties and the CBC is come back to the government with full prioritized costings and full consideration will be given to the report. I hope the CBC will take up that challenge.”

Watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting said Thursday the Conservatives refusal to commit to specific funding deliberately sets the CBC up to fail. [a conspiracy!]

“The Heritage committee set out to more closely align CBC’s mandate and resources because it is widely recognized CBC resources are insufficient to meet its mandate,” said spokesman Ian Morrison. “The Conservative minority report would expand this gap, not narrow it. It calls for CBC to do more but denies CBC the required resources, It is a road map that would be extremely damaging to the CBC, especially its English television network.”

Oh, those big scary Conservatives are after us, run for your lives!

As a taxpayer who reluctantly funds this albatross, I really don’t see anything untoward with requesting a costing. It makes good financial business sense. If the CBC is actually planning on producing anything valuable, they shouldn’t have a problem with giving details.

However, if they just want to keep pork on the budget without a fight, I would see why it might bother them a little…

Posted by: Right Girl