Mark Carney promises plan to ‘reform’ the CBC

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Ottawa – Liberal leader Mark Carney said he wanted to reform CBC/Radio-Canada to ensure public broadcasters are viable.

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During a campaign in Montreal on Friday, Carney said the “only” way to make public broadcasters “viable” and “vibrant” is through reforms he promised to announce in the coming days.

He did not provide any other details at the press conference, although it was unsurprisingly confirmed that the changes did not resemble the promise of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to maintain the return of Canadian radio to the CBC.

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“Pierre Poilievre’s fantasy, he could literally assign babies. He is not Solomon. Radio-Canada will not be able to survive under his plan,” Carney said.

He said the survival of Canadian radio “is only possible as part of a viable CBC.”

Carney initially announced his plans for public broadcasters during a campaign in Quebec City Thursday morning. But the event was cancelled when Carney returned to Ottawa in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on Auto imports on Wednesday afternoon.

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His comments are on the heels of Poilievre’s promise on Wednesday, retaining Canadian Radio’s French-language service nationwide, in stark contrast to his repeated commitment to “refund CBC”.

Posted on a brief Quebec-specific platform, Poilievre acknowledges that the French language is declining and must be protected and promises to “maintain all funds in the culture to support Quebec and the French.”

The document does not mention the public broadcaster’s English service.

Since being elected as the Conservative leader in 2023, Poilievre has repeatedly promised to return it to the CBC. Public broadcasters received $1.4 billion in government funding in 2024.

It would not be surprising if Carney’s reforms were inspired by the reform roadmap proposed by then-Minister Pascale St-Onge.

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The 17-page document details how liberals can change the CBC’s funding model and governance by double the amount Canadians spend annually and remove ads from news programs.

“Public finance is a concern for the Canadian population, but so is our national security and sovereignty,” St. Og said at the time. She is not running for re-election.

The proposal should be a threat to protect Canada from foreign intervention, from the threat of the “Trump administration” and the geographical location occupied by the wealthiest people on the planet in discussions, debates and information, and is part of a package of measures to “hegemony and the location of the wealthiest people on the planet”.”

State Post, with documents from Antoine Trépanier.

cnardi@postmedia.com

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