Harper tries to control the CBC

The new Harper budget bill is going to do something crazy -- take hold of our public media and turn the CBC into a place where Harper's cronies could control the newsroom.

This is how tyrannical governments behave -- they try to silence and control independent media. But the bill goes into committee in days and we can get this small collection of MPs to amend the bill and take their hands off our CBC before it's too late.

Sign the petition and when we reach 100,000 voices to free the CBC, Avaaz will deliver our call directly to the finance committee before the hearings begin!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_cbc_2013_b/?btdsgbb&v=24788

The budget bill would give the Conservatives the power to dictate collective bargaining and terms for salaries and working conditions at the CBC. But journalists can’t ask hard questions to ministers if they fear layoffs and budget cuts. From the National to the Nature of Things, under Harper's control the CBC’s programming could change and we'd all lose an institution central to our democracy.

The government says it wants to bring the CBC in line with private sector standards, but that’s a smokescreen for this political attack. They’re likely not happy with the critical coverage, so now they’re taking the power to step in and cut CBC pay and pensions -- and scare journalists. But a huge outcry from Canadians everywhere can show the Harper government that we demand a free media in Canada.

The Conservatives have used massive budget bills to reshape our country before and now they’re going after our public broadcaster. Click here and help free the CBC.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_cbc_2013_b/?btdsgbb&v=24788

We've already come together to help stop Sun News's crony media from getting an undeserved government subsidy, now we have a chance to save truly independent public Canadian media for generations to come.

With hope,

Jeremy, Ari, Emma, Ricken, Melanie and the rest of the Avaaz team

SOURCES

Budget bill gives Harper Cabinet new powers over CBC (Hill Times)
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2013/04/30/budget-bill-gives-harp...

Bill C-60: Tories quietly taking control of CBC, group alleges (Huffington Post)
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/bill-c60-cbc-harper_n_3187821.html

CBC wants meeting with feds on Harper Cabinet's new powers over CBC's collective bargaining (Hill Times)
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2013/05/02/cbc-wants-meeting-with...