From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

The Department of Canadian Heritage promised funding to offset the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s nearly 10 percent drop in ad revenue last year despite an audience share of 1.7 percent, meaning over 98 percent of the country is not watching the network.

The Liberal government has promised to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to compensate CBC-TV for ads that the network cannot sell.

According to information released January 20 by Blacklock’s Reporter, the Liberal-run Department of Canadian Heritage will give CBC millions more, bringing the network’s total parliamentary grant near $2 billion a year.

“The CBC has been grappling with a range of financial pressures that are challenging its ability to maintain programming and service levels,” Liberals argued, adding that their department will be “providing additional funding to make it less reliant on private advertising with a goal of eliminating advertising during news and other public affairs shows.”

“The CBC is a pillar of Canada’s creative economy, a key provider of programming made by and for Canadians and a significant source of trusted news and information,” Liberals claimed.

“This government is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the CBC so that it can continue to create public value and adapt to the needs and expectations of Canadians,” the department continued.

The increased government subsidies come after an October report found that CBC’s advertising revenue dropped nearly 10 percent last year.

Furthermore, CBC’s own quarterly report found that its network audience share is only 1.7%, meaning more than 98% of Canadians are not watching CBC.

However, Liberals have chosen to ignore the fact that Canadians are not watching CBC, instead spending millions of dollars to prop up the failing outlet.

Beginning in 2019, Parliament changed the Income Tax Act to give yearly rebates of 25 percent for each news employee in cabinet-approved media outlets earning up to $55,000 a year to a maximum of $13,750.

The Department of Canadian Heritage since admitted that the payouts are not even sufficient to keep legacy media outlets running and recommended that the rebates be doubled to a maximum of $29,750 annually.

Last November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again announced increased payouts for legacy media outlets that coincide with the leadup to the 2025 election. The subsidies are expected to cost taxpayers $129 million over the next five years.

That amount to the CBC is in addition to massive media payouts that already make up roughly 70 percent of its operating budget and total more than $1 billion annually.

However, many have pointed out that the obscene amount of money thrown at CBC by Liberals is a ploy to buy the outlet’s loyalty.

Furthermore, in October, Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge’s department admitted that federally funded media outlets buy “social cohesion.”

Additionally, in September, House leader Karina Gould directed mainstream media reporters to “scrutinize” Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has repeatedly condemned government-funded media as an arm of the Liberals.

Gould’s comments were in reference to Poilievre’s promise to defund the CBC if elected prime minister. Poilievre is a longtime critic of government-funded media, especially the CBC.

From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

By Franco Terrazzano 

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Liberal leadership front-runners Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney to clearly state whether they will scrap the carbon tax.

“Taxpayers have one simple question for anyone who wants to be prime minister: Will you scrap the carbon tax?” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Freeland is running on her experience as finance minister, but she gave a rambling response about listening to Canadians instead of giving a clear and credible answer. Carney is running on his economic expertise as a central banker, but his response didn’t provide any clarity beyond a vague suggestion that he’s working on a replacement scheme.

“How can Freeland or Carney hope to have a shred of credibility if they don’t have a clear answer to the question: Will you scrap the carbon tax?”

Freeland was asked about the carbon tax during her leadership campaign launch in Toronto on Sunday.

“We have heard very clearly from Canadians in provinces where there is a consumer-facing price on carbon that they don’t like it,” Freeland said. “That’s something that we have to listen to. Democracy means when people tell you something you have to listen. I will say our party hasn’t been good enough at that. That has to change, and I am going to change that.”

Carney was equally unclear on the carbon tax at his campaign launch in Edmonton on Thursday.

“If you are going to take out the carbon tax, we should replace it with something that is at least, if not more, effective,” Carney said. “Perception may be that it takes out more than the rebate provides but reality is different, and Canadians will miss that money, so you need a comprehensive approach.”

Liberal Government House Leader Karina Gould also announced her leadership campaign on Sunday. Gould said she would keep the carbon tax but would “immediately cancel the increase to the price on pollution ahead of April 1.”

The federal carbon tax is set to increase on April 1 to 21 cents per litre of gasoline, 25 cents per litre of diesel and 18 cents per cubic metre of natural gas.

Prior to the carbon tax hike last year, a Leger poll commissioned by the CTF showed 69 per cent of Canadians opposed the carbon tax increase.

“Gould figured out it would be bad if the carbon tax goes up right at the start of an election campaign,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “But Canadian’s don’t want half-measures as proven by the backlash against the temporary carbon-tax exemption for home heating oil.

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been clear from the start he would keep the carbon tax and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been clear he would axe the tax. Anyone who wants to be a credible candidate for prime minister needs a crystal-clear answer for this question: Will you scrap the carbon tax?”