Wednesday 6 January 2016

Making the Link #keepitintheground

Link hosts: Lynn Desjardins, Marc Montgomery, Levon Sevunts


I hope that Canadian national broadcaster CBC may be able restore some services ravaged in the years of hardship imposed by the Stephen Harper government. New Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to reverse $115 million worth of cuts to the CBC and to add on a further $35 million. The Trudeau Liberal government promises $380 million in funding for the arts overall. 

I can’t see Radio Canada International being returned to its former glory because its shortwave transmitters were dismantled and its soul all but ripped out by the cuts.  I am hopeful however that there may be funding to expand its current weekly online programme in English (The Link) and maybe even to air on shortwave via relay stations such as WRMI to the Americas or Radio 700 to Europe. There may be a chance to reinstate or expand some of the other RCI language services. What a fantastic gift that would be for us all! 

I was touched to have my email read out on The Link’s 26 December 2015 show (19 minutes in). As well as summarising the points above I commented on an RCI feature on the Canadian oil industry and reminded people that after the Paris climate change talks #COP21, when it comes to oil, be it a glut or scarcity, cheap or expensive- it doesn’t matter. The key thing is to #keepitintheground.



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