Minister Rodriguez Shares with the President and Chief Executive Officer of CBC/Radio-Canada the Government’s Vision and Priorities for the National Public Broadcaster

GATINEAU, October 26, 2018

The  Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, sent a letter to Catherine Tait, President and Chief Executive of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The purpose of the letter was to inform her of the Government of Canada’s vision and priorities with respect to the national public broadcaster.

Here is the full text of the Government of Canada’s welcome letter.

Ms. Catherine Tait
President and Chief Executive Officer
CBC/Radio-Canada
181 Queen Street
Post Office Box 3220, Station C
Ottawa, Ontario
K1Y 1E4

Dear Ms. Tait:

I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and welcome you to the Canadian Heritage Portfolio. 

You are starting your term at a crucial period for digital media and journalism, and I am confident that your leadership and substantial experience will be invaluable in helping strengthen our national public broadcaster. As the new head of a Crown Corporation, I invite you to familiarize yourself with the details of your responsibilities, which you can find in the enclosed documents.

CBC/Radio‑Canada has the mandate to provide programming that informs, enlightens and entertains. It is an essential part of our cultural ecosystem as it offers online and over-the-air quality programming, promotes diversity, connects every region of the country, including the North, in both official languages and eight Indigenous languages, while also reflecting official language minority communities. 

The Government of Canada firmly believes in a strong national public broadcaster. This is why we reinvested in the long-term sustainability of the Corporation and implemented a transparent, merit-based appointment process, from which you were selected. We want to help position CBC/Radio-Canada to succeed and to be relevant in the digital era, reaching Canadians, including younger Canadians, where and when they want, and to help train the next generation of creative talent and leadership.

Corporation’s digital presence

In the fall of 2016, the Department of Canadian Heritage led a national conversation and consulted with Canadians and stakeholders on Canadian content in a digital world. During this exercise, we heard how Canadians take pride in their national public broadcaster. It is our belief that, in a digital world, public broadcasting remains critically important. The Government recognizes that the digital shift has led to an environment of seemingly infinite choice, where global success for Canadian content requires a diverse and strong domestic market that acts as a launchpad for homegrown talent. It also recognizes that the broadcasting system plays a crucial role in providing trusted, accurate and quality information, and that supporting the perspectives of all creators is important to the success of the Canadian broadcasting system. 

In this context, I encourage you to continue expanding the Corporation’s digital presence to respond to the growing demands of Canadians, by showcasing the best of Canada to the world, by reflecting the country’s diversity, including Indigenous cultures, on multiple platforms, from coast to coast to coast, and by continuing to provide an essential local service to Canadians in all regions of the country, in both official languages.

Contributing to the legislative review

As you know, the Government announced it is reviewing and modernizing the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act. The Department is looking at options to ensure that these changes reflect the reality of a more open broadcasting system. The panel charged with reviewing the acts will examine issues such as telecommunications and content creation in the digital age, Net neutrality and cultural diversity, and how to strengthen the future of Canadian media and Canadian content creation. The panel is composed of external experts and is expected to engage with industry, creators and Canadians to ensure that Canada’s communications legislation takes full advantage of the benefits of the digital age. It will also look at the mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada and how to continue to strengthen the national public broadcaster for the next generation of Canadians, while promoting Canadian culture and voices to the world.

The Government will be interested in determining how best to position the Corporation to strengthen it as a partner and leader among cultural institutions; contribute to the telling of Indigenous stories by Indigenous peoples; protect, as per Section 41 of the Official Languages Act, the vitality of official language minority communities; determine how it can continue to provide and support local news; and define how it can continue to play a role promoting Canadian culture and voices to the world.

I invite you to collaborate with the panel by sharing your views.

Workplace integrity

The issue of workplace integrity is one of utmost importance to our Government. As a signatory to the new code of conduct adopted by the Canadian creative industries, CBC/Radio-Canada has committed to enacting a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence, and to ensuring that suitable mechanisms are in place for reporting abuses and resolving complaints. I wish to thank the Corporation for its leadership and progress on the issue and encourage you to continue your important work on workplace integrity measures. 

Gender parity

I also support the work of the Corporation toward gender parity, particularly its commitment to increase the number of women directing CBC-scripted television series to half or more of all directors or to directing 50 percent or more of all episodes. As the first woman in the history of CBC/Radio-Canada to assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, you will undoubtedly bring significant leadership and progress to this issue. 

Support for Indigenous creators and content 

CBC/Radio-Canada is a key source of support for Indigenous peoples, namely through its Indigenous language programming and the digitization of its Indigenous archives. I also applaud the Corporation’s role as a partner in the creation of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), and I encourage you to work with partners to help ensure the stability and ongoing operations of the ISO in the first two years of its new mandate. I also encourage you to work with partners such as the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network in bringing high quality Indigenous programming to Canadians.

Developing strong relationships

Over the years, federal cultural organizations have played an important role in building and strengthening Canadian values, and in bringing Canadians to participate and share common experiences. When possible, I encourage you to forge fruitful relationships with organizations within the Canadian Heritage Portfolio and with public and private sector organizations in order to better leverage the Corporation’s resources.

Ethical and Political Activity Guidelines for Public Office Holders

As a Governor in Council appointee, you are expected to perform your duties in the public interest as well as to uphold the highest ethical standards so that public confidence and trust in the integrity, objectivity and impartiality of the Government are conserved and enhanced. You have the duty to act in the best interests of CBC/Radio-Canada within the framework of its statutory mandate, and to exercise care and due diligence. I encourage you to speak with your Chairperson if guidance or advice in this area is required.

In addition, a handbook to help explain your new duties within the broader Government context and within the Canadian Heritage Portfolio is enclosed. This handbook also clarifies some of the new terminology you will encounter and the reasons for some of the processes your organization undertakes on a regular basis.

As President/CEO of a Crown corporation, you are subject to the Performance Management Program (PMP) established by the Privy Council Office. In accordance with the PMP Guidelines, you are required to develop your performance agreement for the current fiscal year. This document is a mutual understanding between you and the Board of Directors, establishing clear and challenging performance commitments and measures for what is expected by the Board of Directors and the shareholder during the performance cycle which is ending on March 31, 2019. A copy of the PMP Guidelines is attached as well. The Chair of CBC/Radio-Canada, Mr. Michael Goldbloom, will send me a copy of your performance agreement for 2018-19.

The Government looks forward to working with the Corporation, and it is confident in your capacity to manage its affairs effectively in the digital era.

Please accept my best wishes as you assume these new responsibilities.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P.

Enclosures

c.c.:     

Mr. Michael Goldbloom, Chair, CBC/Radio-Canada
Ms. Hilary Leftick, Office of the Prime Minister
Ms. Jennifer Thorne, A/Director of Appointments, Privy Council Office