People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier wants to end all government funding for both the CBC and the media bailout program the Liberals put in place in spring 2020..Bernier told the Western Standard he wants to see an end to the federal government's handout of $2 billion to Canadian news media..“There’s a huge part of journalism right now that is publicly funded more than ever before,” said Bernier..“Because you’ve got not just CBC, but now you’ve got this whole other funding, you know, Post Media, the Star. All these news media share half-a-billion dollars.”.Bernier said he does not intend to cut all funding on day one if he became prime minister, but instead would work with the news media to wean them off government funding over one year..“We will work with them to shut it down. The media must be independent and not dependent,” said Bernier..Bernier used the Western Standard as an example of how news media can operate successfully in Canada. .“You’re an independent media; you are able to raise money. And that must be the same thing for everybody,” he said..“So yes, we will come to CBC … we will cut the funding the federal government gave for the other mainstream media, we will do that … we will tell them, 'That’s your last year and next year, it will be cut.' That’s it. And they must be independent.”.Bernier said if the news media cannot change to a business model without government funding, there could be some that go bankrupt, including the CBC..“And yes, CBC must go bankrupt. But, you know, if they don’t change, they will go bankrupt. If they change and they are more objective they may have support from their viewers and they will stay,” said Bernier..Bernier said the government should not be in the news business; that’s for “Banana Republics.".“We [PPC] don’t want the government to be in the business of the media … just having a discussion with the media about what they must do or must not do. That’s a Banana Republic. We can’t do that with the media. They must be independent,” said Bernier..Bernier said he believes giving a year to cut all funding is fair. .“And yes, we will cut all the funding, and that will be it. We may give them a year, you know, you have a year to change your business plan … just have to know that in a year, you won’t have the billion dollars. You won’t have the funding, (it) will disappear,” he said..Defunding the news media will, in Bernier's opinion, help the federal government balance the budget and lower taxes, which he believes many Canadians would support. .READ MORE Bernier on the Conservative leadership race, conservatism, and the PPC’s future.Bernier said he believes defunded media would have more legitimacy as people will not think there is a hidden agenda due to government handouts..“They will know they cannot say the CBC has a hidden agenda. No, it’s all public and they will have the legitimacy. Because of no government funding,” said Bernier..Bernier said defunding the CBC and the media bailout has been part of the PPC platform since its inception.
