Elections
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has recommended that CBC's annual parliamentary grant be raised from $33 per Canadian to $40. Will you support this recommendation? Why or why not? If so, will you advocate for a Hamilton-based CBC radio station?
Responses to the question: "The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has recommended that CBC's annual parliamentary grant be raised from $33 per Canadian to $40. Will you support this recommendation? Why or why not? If so, will you advocate for a Hamilton-based CBC radio station?"
In This Page:
11 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Nancy MacBain | Yes | Yes. The CBC plays a vital role in promoting Canada's cultural identity at home and abroad. The NDP is committed to providing long term stable funding for the CBC and increasing capacity to deliver superior regional production and internet services. |
| Peter Ormond | Yes | I support this amendment, including a Hamilton-based CBC media presence. Even during this election, I've been dismayed by the lack of coverage for the Green Party, and the superficial coverage of issues in our world today. An election is a chance to educate, and review the current system. Renewable energy, nuclear power phase-out, military obsession, healthy food and sustainable transportation are just some of today's' issues. Remember that the City of Hamilton's annual budget is just over $1 Billion. Right now, Canada is scheduled to spend $35 Billion on nuclear refurbishment, $30 Billion on new warplanes, $10 on new prisons, and countless more on projects that don't consider Peak Oil, Healthy Families Strong Communities. Imagine if those resources were allocated to projects that benefit the community?
In Hamilton, our funds are going toward projects that are funded by the public purse, yet benefit the already wealthy establishment. These include the Pan-Am Stadium, the Aerotropolis airport expansion, and obsession with new roads and highways outside of the existing city. As a result, taxes rise, revenues service the debt, brownfields and inner-city needs are ignored, and the community - despite grassroots efforts - spirals downward. The Greens will make funding conditional on investment in projects that build social, environmental and economical equity that benefits Hamilton citizens today and into tomorrow. |
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Michael James Baldasaro | Yes | Yes I will support the recommendation to raise CBC's annual parliamentary grant from $33 per Canadian to $40.00.
I agree to this because Canadians need an independent voice, but it must reflect the voice of the Canadian People and not just the Canadian Government. It has to be a two way communication. Yes I will advocate for a Hamilton-based CBC radio station, however, a designated portion of that above mentioned $40.00 must be put into the Hamilton Community. You don't just take our money and run. |
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Bob Green Innes | Yes | A $7 increase is a little more than 20% extra when the little guys we are focusing on, are having to tighten their belts to pay higher prices, but on the same or lower wages. The Commons Committee must be Standing at the lounge because they don't understand that higher taxes always translates to higher cost throughout the economy. That being said, the Canadian Action Party believes that public works are suffering because taxpayers are subsidizing bankers instead of utilizing our own Bank of Canada. That's $57 billion PER YEAR that could be used for this or any other purpose such as eliminating student loans. See our website for details.
Personally, I enjoy certain CBC radio programs, usually via their excellent podcast service. A CBC Hamilton station might help to counter the horrible effects of both the Spectator and commercial radio. I think historians will recognize how these outlets generally bamboozle Hamiltonians into voting for money interests (suburbia, malls, cars) instead of what is best for the city. While CBC might help, I have my doubts since CBC has its own bias toward left leaning Keynesian (big government) solutions. I will also never forgive CBC for its role in almost costing us Quebec. While CAP is fiercely nationalist, there is something about CBC that undermines what Canada was, and could become again. Ordinary Canadians don't need a bigger nanny CBC to tell us what to think. I guess that means my short answer is NO! |
| David Hart Dyke | Yes | I'd support putting it up even higher. Whatever you think of their entertainment and opinion programs, CBC's news division does an excellent job. During a time when corporate-owned media are increasingly putting news departments at the service of special interests, it's vital that the people of Canada have a source of information that doesn't have to cater to such interests, or to ratings.
And yes, I will certainly advocate for a Hamilton-based CBC radio station; in fact, I've done so in the past. I believe Hamilton's municipal political system would be far more responsive, accountable and responsible if a media presence having CBC's clout appeared on the scene. |
| Gord Hill | Yes | Yes. I believe we need a strong voice that speaks for Canadians in an over polluted information highway, it must be unbiased and trustworthy giving a true picture of who we are. I would advocate for a CBC Hamilton Radio Station. |
| Greg Pattinson | No | A free country fundamentally requires a free press. Authoritarian states require control of the media. I want Canada to be a free country so the Libertarian party and I fundamentally oppose state run media. Instead of increasing the parliamentary grant to $40 per Canadian and increasing taxes the grant should be reduced to $0 and decrees taxes. There are many other stations that make a profit without resorting to government handouts. CBC should operate the same way. |
| Wayne Marston | Yes | All three Hamilton-area NDP MPs are on record supporting the re-location of a CBC radio station in Hamilton. Hamilton is an amazing diverse city with a sizeable population and its own unique history and culture. It is not Toronto. That it should have its own public radio station is for me a no-brainer.
New Democrats believe that the CBC must be well-funded and protected, even as its administration needs to be made more transparent. The CBC, without adequate funding, will not survive. Underfunded by current and previous governments as it has been, it has lost and is losing its ability to fulfill its mandate. I therefore wholeheartedly and unhesitatingly support Heritage's recommendations. |
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Marie Bountrogianni | Yes | I am firmly committed to providing for the funding needs of the CBC. The national broadcaster is a foundation of Canadian culture and unity. As MPP for Hamilton Mountain, I was a supporter of TV-Ontario, the public arts and education channel for the province, and would bring that same commitment to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
A Hamilton office for the CBC is a great idea. If the CBC budget and content needs are conducive to creating a Hamilton office, I would be glad to help get the project off the ground. |
| Stephen E. Brotherston | Yes | I would personally like to see the CBC have a greater presence in Hamilton and your idea for CBC-Hamilton Radio is a good idea. |
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Stephen Bieda | Yes | At the end of the day, the most important job of the media is to convey the truth, not an equal share of information supporting each side or in an equally positive light.
Publicly funded broadcasters like the CBC are one of the most critical aspects of democracy because this is what they do better than global media conglomerates - reveal the truth. Public broadcasting is about educating the nation so that we can all make an informed decision and vote accordingly. Mainstream broadcast media has strayed from this prime objective because it is driven by profit not the truth. This is why we need to increase funding of the CBC. Public broadcasting is not without bias or flaws, but it is the best model we have and should be promoted to the best of our ability. I believe a Hamilton/Niagara CBC office would best be classed as a 'nice to have' but not an essential at this point in time in the interest of financial prudence. At some point in the next decade, as the population grows and fiscal responsibility is restored, we could reinvestigate the possibility of a Hamilton/Niagara CBC office. We should, however, encourage greater coverage of the CBC of Hamilton/Niagara from wherever it sees fit. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 10 | 90.9% |
| No | 1 | 9.1% |
| Maybe | 0 | 0.0% |
20 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Giles | ||
| Dave Braden | ||
| David Sweet | ||
| Jamile Ghaddar | ||
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Annie Tennier | ||
| David Christopherson | ||
| James W. Byron | ||
| Lisa Nussey | ||
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Bob Mann | ||
| Brad Clark | ||
| Michelle Stockwell | ||
| Wendell Fields | ||
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Chris Charlton | ||
| Henryk Adamiec | ||
| Jim Enos | ||
| Terry Anderson | ||
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Bryan Jongbloed | ||
| David Heatley | ||
| Dean Allison | ||
| Sid Frere | ||
