Access to information and privacy (ATIP) records show CBC cut spending on indigenous language services that account for less than one half of 1% of its budget, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “With respect to the indigenous framework, we have an obligation to serve all Canadians and that includes the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples of this country,” said CBC CEO Catherine Tait at a House of Commons Heritage Commitee meeting. Tait made no mention of actual spending on indigenous services. “What is fantastically exciting about the work we’ve done over the last two years is we’ve come to a place where not only will we be increasing the amount of indigenous-created and indigenous-produced content on our network, but we’ve made a commitment to ensure our employee base and our leadership teams have greater representation from indigenous peoples,” said Tait.ATIP records indicated the CBC cut indigenous services by $25,680 last year. Figures were disclosed because of a request for the amount of money spent by it on services offered in indigenous languages. Because of CBC production teams, she said it can “produce hundreds of programs every month, thousands of hours of programming in both official languages and eight indigenous languages.” She pointed to indigenous programming as a priority. “Let me tell you about a few of the priorities,” she said. “The first is the launch of a national indigenous strategy at CBC.”Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain, ON) asked about the risks to Canadians if CBC is defunded. Without CBC, Tait said Canada would become a disconnected society. With its $1.3 billion grant from the Canadian government, she said it can serve all Canadians and indigenous people. This is because there are significant cultural differences in Canada and not limited to anglophones and francophones. Tait concluded by saying CBC is “the only national news media organization in the country with a mandate to serve all Canadians.” “Therefore, should we be defunded, we would no longer be reaching all of those Canadians,” she said. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre received thunderous applause at his Axe the Carbon Tax Rally in Ottawa in 2022 after he pledged to defund the CBC if elected prime minister. READ MORE: Hundreds gather for Pierre Poilievre’s ‘Axe the Carbon Tax’ rally in Ottawa“The room doesn’t seem undecided on that one, does it?” said Poilievre. “That will save us a lot of money.”
