Daily BrewVideo mocks Stephen Harper over ‘gambit’ to muzzle CBC
A group that believes the CBC should remain free from political intervention launched a campaign against the Conservative government on Monday, mocking Prime Minster Stephen Harper over what it describes as his "gambit to undermine" the network's independence.
The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting released 30- and 60-second advertisements that depict what is presumed to be a CBC reporter grilling the prime minister about a series of recent heavy-handed decisions, when two goons step in and throw him in the trunk of a car, never to be seen again.
"There goes my Senate appointment," the journalist cheekily notes as he is carted away to obscurity.
In the video, the back of Harper's head can be seen in the foreground, sitting behind a desk inside a stuffy dark office. Interestingly, it is entirely reminiscent of a series of videos released by Greenpeace that contained a similar office, similar setup and similar mockery of Harper.
Apparently, this is how Harper's opponents see him: faceless yet always in the foreground.
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The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting campaign is in protest to a note included in the latest Omnibus Budget Bill C-60, which would allow the government to sit in on collective bargaining negotiations with Crown corporations, including the CBC. Opponents claim this would give the government direct oversight over the network, including its news and current events coverage.
Interestingly, CBC itself has refused to air the commercials.
"We wanted to run these ads on The National and other CBC News programs. CBC's refusal makes the point for us. Harper will have even more control of what's on the air when his government takes direct control of the wages and working conditions of all CBC staff," spokesperson Ian Morrison said in a statement.
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A Nanos poll released on Monday suggests the majority of Canadians oppose the government's plan to invest itself in CBC control.
According to the survey:
79% believe that the CBC plays an important role in protecting Canadian culture and identity.
80% would advise their MP to maintain or increase CBC funding.
89% believe the CBC President should not be appointed by the Prime Minister, while 87% think the Prime Minister should not appoint members of the CBC Board.
CBC is already publicly-funded, but remains independent from government oversight. Which means it is free to grill the government, a responsibility some who cling to power may not appreciate.
As the commercial points out, Harper has a history of making government oversight a tricky thing indeed. And he doesn’t seem to have much use for independent journalists.
Unless those journalists are in the Senate, and sitting as independents until controversy blows over and they are free to rejoin the Conservative banner.
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