The CBC and Conservatives don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promises, if elected, he’s going to defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) which currently receives $1.4 billion per year from the federal government. Founded in 1936, CBC/Radio-Canada is one of the world’s major publicly owned broadcasters and is Canada’s oldest continually existing broadcasting network.
The smell of bacon, sticky maple syrup clinging to fingertips, loud chirping noises of early-morning birds, and the sound of CBC radio humming in the background of a Canadian kitchen are familiar elements of daily life across the country. Whether it’s a family in rural Saskatchewan or a Montreal commuter listening to the latest news on current affairs, the CBC has long been a pillar of Canadian culture and information.
Many Conservatives including Poilievre argue the CBC is too “woke,” wasteful, or outdated in an era of digital media. And they aren’t entirely wrong—there’s a lot the CBC has done poorly. Like every news publication does, at times, its coverage has been out of touch, its bureaucracy bloated, and its priorities misaligned with the people it’s meant to serve. But despite its flaws, CBC remains a vital institution that informs, educates, and connects Canadians.
Change to the CBC isn’t a bad thing. While reform is necessary, scrapping it altogether would be a mistake.
Protecting the CBC is synonymous with safeguarding Canada’s identity, unity, and democracy—without it, our voices shrink, our stories fade, and our nation becomes at risk of being drowned out by foreign interests and commercial pressures.
For the last 89 years, the CBC has provided coverage in regions where private broadcasters see little financial incentive to operate, ensuring local issues are given a national voice. Through programs like The National, Politics & Power, and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC has fostered a Canadian identity. The outlet promotes Canadian artists and musicians, bringing homegrown talent to the forefront.
More importantly, defunding the CBC would have a devastating effect on the country’s future media landscape. As young journalists struggle to find stable employment in an increasingly precarious industry, the CBC remains one of the few institutions offering opportunities for in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, and national storytelling.
In an era where misinformation runs rampant and the citizens’ preference for social media deepens the declining trust in traditional media, a publicly funded broadcaster serves as a crucial counterbalance, providing fact-based reporting not entirely driven by quotas.
CBC needs to change. This means it needs to be more transparent, more able, and more responsive to the diverse voices it represents. Dismantling CBC won’t achieve any of these goals.
A strong democracy needs a strong public broadcaster—one that evolves with the times, learns from past mistakes, and vows to serve all Canadians. To defund the CBC is to devalue the role of national storytelling, critical journalism, and the shared experiences that bind Canadians together.
Allie and Skylar are both fourth-year Political Studies Students and The Journal’s Editors in Chief.
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