A Few Good White Men – From Central CanadaMar 26, 1998 For Immediate ReleaseOttawa – Patronage-style appointments to the CBC Board of Directors should fade to black, according to Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Research found less than 1% of appointments to the CBC and the CRTC had been drawn from Canada's visible minorities. The FCB has written to the Prime Minister and MPs urging them to overhaul the process. Friends recommends appointments to the CBC and CRTC should:
"There needs to be more openness, opportunities for external nominations to be received and a means for Parliament to validate candidates," said FCB spokesperson Ian Morrison. "The CBC's budget exceeds one billion dollars. CRTC decisions impact our lives every day. But when the number one qualification for running these major corporation is political affiliation, there's a problem. The current system is completely opaque to the public, the selection criteria are hidden and there's no interview process. And the historical evidence paints a bleak picture. If the Government needed a recruiting slogan it might be: "A few good white men from central Canada." Research commissioned by the FCB reviewed appointments to the CBC over the past 62 years. Author, Arlan Gates, found that women comprised only 19% of appointments to the CBC Board, rising to 25% during Mr. Chrétien's watch. Ontario and Quebec has been home to 61% of appointments – and surprisingly, this weighting has increased over the past 20 years – with Mr. Chrétien appointing 75% from central Canada. It was also found that only one CBC Director has come from a visible minority. "On one hand the public would want to see these major institutions run by qualified individuals with suitable experience drawn from every region and representative of our country. On the other hand, we see an old boys network choreographed out of the Prime Minister's Office," said Morrison. Of the 17 appointments made by Mr. Chrétien, none has been from the three prairie provinces. Mr. Gates found that of those appointments where political affiliation was known, 92% of CBC appointments were made from those with the same political affiliation as the government which appointed them (83% among CRTC appointees). "Publicly owned institutions such as the CBC, and regulatory agencies such as the CRTC have a major influence on our lives, not just in terms of the dollars and cents issues, but in shaping the way we see our communities, our country and the world. Some excellent appointments have been made, but these exceptions are not the rule," said Mr. Morrison. "We have written to Members of Parliament seeking their support for changes to the system. Ultimately, it will take the will of the Prime Minister to bring about change. Perhaps he needs encouragement," said Morrison. "There are many options we've looked at from around the world and it's clear that patronage appointments – Chrétien style to principal cultural institutions are outdated." – 30 – For information:Jim Thompson (613) 567-9592 Related LinksSee also: |
Apr 30, 2012 — Michaëlle Jean is the People’s Pick for CBC ChairFRIENDS says the CBC belongs to all Canadians and its leadership positions should be open to the best and brightest citizens, not just those on the government’s patronage pay-off list Apr 26, 2012 — FRIENDS launch People’s Pick for CBC ChairFRIENDS says the antiquated practice of political patronage for appointing the CBC Board and President is in need of reform. Mar 29, 2012 — Vindictive cuts break CBC promise and target Canadian cultureThe federal budget singles out the CBC for vindictive cuts that break the Conservative’s election promise to maintain or increase funding to the national public broadcaster. Mar 23, 2012 — Nanos poll shows Canadians want CBC promise keptA new Nanos survey has found a majority of Canadians support or somewhat support the position staked out by Heritage Minister James Moore one day after the election that the Conservative government will maintain or increase CBC funding. Mar 16, 2012 — BCE acquisition of Astral raises concernsFRIENDS says BCE Inc.'s bid to purchase Astral Media, the largest media merger in Canadian history, raises concerns about market domination. Feb 13, 2012 — Poll finds Canadian media too important to allow foreign controlAccording to a new opinion survey, 77% of Canadians see domestic media companies as too important for cultural and security reasons to allow them to be controlled by foreign interests. Feb 1, 2012 — Hamilton residents want their own CBC stationA substantial majority of Hamilton area residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs, and support the Conservative's pre-election pledge to maintain or increase CBC funding. Jan 31, 2012 — London residents want their own CBC stationA wide majority  of London residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs and most hope their MP would champion the new station or not oppose it. |
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