Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled
Protecting the Future of Canadas Public Broadcaster

Whereas the Canadian television industry is in crisis as a result of the global recession, and
Whereas the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is facing a significant budgetary shortfall in the 2009-2010 fiscal year as a result of this crisis, and
Whereas CBC plays a key role in the provision of Canadas local news through its network of local and regional stations, and
Whereas reports have said that permanent cuts, significant staff layoffs and the sale of capital assets will occur as a result of CBCs budgetary shortfall, and
Whereas many CBC stations that provide local voices and regional perspectives are under threat of closure or cutbacks, and
Whereas CBC has asked the government for a loan against their own future parliamentary appropriations to shore up their cash-on-hand in this difficult year, and
Whereas granting the CBCs request for bridge financing would mitigate the threat of significant cuts to local services and layoffs, and
Whereas granting the CBCs request for supplemental funding this fiscal year will not incur additional cost to the Canadian taxpayer by reducing their appropriation in subsequent fiscal years, and
Whereas this is a terrible economic climate in which to sell capital assets that are essentially owned by the Canadian government, and therefore the Canadian people,
Therefore, we the undersigned residents of Canada call upon the Minister of Canadian Heritage to approve the bridge financing that has been proposed by CBCs management, and to do everything in his power to protect the integrity of this vital Canadian public institution.


Pйtition а la Chambre des communes rйunie en Parlement
Protйger lavenir du tйlйdiffuseur public du Canada

Attendu que lindustrie tйlйvisuelle canadienne est en crise en raison de la rйcession mondiale;
Attendu que CBC/Radio-Canada est confrontйe а une importante insuffisance budgйtaire pour lexercice 2009-2010 en raison de cette crise;
Attendu que CBC/Radio-Canada joue un rфle dans la prйsentation de nouvelles locales au Canada par son rйseau de stations locales et rйgionales;
Attendu que des rapports indiquent que cette insuffisance budgйtaire entraоnera а CBC/Radio-Canada des coupures permanentes, des mises а pied massives et la vente dimmobilisations;
Attendu que bon nombre de stations de CBC/Radio-Canada qui offrent un point de vue local et rйgional sont menacйes par des coupures ou des fermetures;
Attendu que CBC/Radio-Canada a demandй une avance sur ses propres futurs crйdits parlementaires pour accroоtre ses liquiditйs en cette annйe difficile;
Attendu que le fait daccorder le prйfinancement а CBC/Radio-Canada rйduirait la menace de coupures importantes dans les services locaux et de mises а pied;
Attendu que le fait daccorder un financement complйmentaire а CBC/Radio-Canada au prйsent exercice nentraоnera pas de coыts supplйmentaires pour le contribuable canadien en rйduisant les crйdits pour les exercices subsйquents;
Et attendu que le climat йconomique actuel nest pas favorable а la vente dimmobilisations appartenant essentiellement au gouvernement canadien et, par consйquent, а la population canadienne;
Nous, soussignйs, des rйsidents du Canada, demandons au ministre du Patrimoine canadien dapprouver le prйfinancement proposй par la direction de CBC/Radio-Canada et de faire tout en son pouvoir pour protйger lintйgritй de cette institution publique canadienne essentielle.