Liberal leader Mark Carney on Friday announced his government will “strengthen” the CBC and Radio-Canada with an initial $150 million increase as part of a much bigger plan.“To protect Canada’s national identity … in this time of crisis,” Carney said at a press conference in Montreal.He said spending more money on the public broadcaster would help bolster Canadian identity as President Donald Trump “threatens Canadian sovereignty.”.‘NO APPETITE’: Canadians reject proposed hike in CBC funding.Carney promised his government would uphold the state broadcaster as a beacon of national identity that will “protect a reliable Canadian public forum in a sea of misinformation.”The Liberals will “strengthen the CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate and funding” through a detailed plan that mirrors a plan earlier put forward by then-Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge..Liberal minister inadvertently acknowledges CBC bias against Tories.The “strengthened” CBC mandate will be made “statutory, so it would take the whole Parliament, not just cabinet, to change it,” Carney said.As he introduced the plan, Carney attempted to use a passage from the Bible to criticize his opponent, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who wants to abolish the CBC but keep its counterpart, Radio-Canada.“Pierre Poilievre pretends that he can keep one, but not the other. But he is not Solomon. He cannot split this baby,” he said, referring to King Solomon, who was approached by two women who had a dispute over who was the mother of a baby. Solomon told them that if they both claimed to be the mother, the baby should be split in half — knowing the true mother would protest. Solomon gave the baby to its true mother..The “governance plan” for CBC/Radio-Canada will “improve accountability,” “promote and support Canadian culture, including Québec’s unique culture, which is at the heart of our national identity,” “strengthen local news,” increase information “during emergencies,” and “fully equip them to combat disinformation.”“So Canadians can have a news source they know they can trust.”.The Liberals will borrow money to spend on “innovation and new digital tools” for the public broadcaster, and “enhance” its current $1.3 billion subsidy by:“Enshrining and protecting its funding by making it statutory, thereby empowering Parliament and the Canadian people — not ideologues — to decide the future of this critical institution.”“Providing an initial $150 million funding increase, while directing CBC/Radio-Canada to develop a strategic plan consistent with this new mandate. This is expected to require a long-term funding level in line with the average funding of other national public broadcasters over time.”
