Advocacy

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2021

FINAL COMMENT: December 13, 2021 – CMAC submitted Final Comments for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-281, recommending an audit of community TV spending by Rogers and Shaw and other practices to improve fiscal transparency of BDU-run Community TV operations, and calls for the CRTC to issue a condition of license mandating equitable employment for Racialized communities in Community TV.

ORAL PRESENTATION: November 23, 2021 – CMAC gave an Oral Presentation for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-281 to present our analysis of the public record that 1) Rogers has a diversity problem in management and programming, 2) the CRTC should consider fines and strong license conditions to correct failings, and 3) any tangible benefits from this proceeding should help sustain the Broadcasting Participation Fund. Watch the video archive of CMAC’s presentation via CPAC here.

SECOND PROCEDURAL REQUEST: November 18, 2021 – CMAC filed a second Procedural Request for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-281 to reiterate our request for equity data from Rogers, Shaw and CPAC.

INTERVENTION: September 13, 2021 – CMAC submitted a Procedural Letter and Intervention for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-281 concerning the purchase of Shaw Inc by Rogers Inc.

INTERVENTION: March 22, 2021 – CMAC submitted an intervention on the CRTC’s and broadcasters’ “duty to consult disAbility communities and their advocacy groups” as part of Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-69. CMAC’s intervention includes a letter of support for our advocacy work on this issue from the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN).

FINAL SUBMISSION: March 1, 2021 – CMAC filed its final submission for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379. The submission comments on the Oral Hearing and CBC/SRC Undertakings to make several recommendations for conditions of licenses concerning providing Protected Groups access, reflection, and employment at all levels, across all platforms, and in all content of the Corporation.

FIFTH PROCEDURAL REQUEST: January 26, 2021 – CMAC filed its 5th procedural request and annexes to respectfully request that the Commission publish the French and English versions of the Open-Letter from Indigenous and Visible Minority Producers in Quebec that CMAC cited during the public hearing for CRTC 2019-379 on January 22nd.

ORAL PRESENTATION: January 22, 2021 – CMAC gave an Oral Presentation to the CRTC for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379. The presentation provides CMAC’s comments on the process, specifically the obstruction by the Corporation in not providing meaningful information and detailed data on equity in Access, Employment, and Reflection for Protected Groups. We also detail our conclusions based on the public record to recommend several conditions of license for the Commission’s consideration. The archive of the presentation can be heard and watched here. The transcript from the hearing can be read here: CMAC starts on line 9757.

FORTH PROCEDURAL REQUEST: January 4, 2021 – CMAC filed a fourth procedural request for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379 motivated by the refusal of the CBC/SRC to deposit on the record of the public hearing any meaningful information that could help assess their compliance with the responsibility to deliver on the reflection of protected groups. CMAC has researched relevant CBC/SRC TV programming for the year 2020 to extract the key information requested by the Commission and denied by the Corporation. We attached our findings to the letter as Annex A: Accounting for Diversity in CBC/SRC 2020 TV Programming. Below you can also read CMAC’s previous procedural requests and intervention (from August 4, July 22/24, and February 20).

2020

REPLY and THIRD PROCEDURAL REQUEST: August 4, 2020 – CMAC submitted a reply and third procedural request (read) for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379 in response to the CBC’s reply (read) to our July 24th second procedural request (read). In this reply, CMAC first details our legal interpretation of previous CRTC decisions that support our procedural request dated 24 July 2020, which focuses on mandating CBC/SRC to deposit on the public record of BNC CRTC 2019-379 more information on “employment” for protected groups within the Corporation.
Then, CMAC motivates a further procedural request to also mandate CBC/SRC to deposit information on access, reflection, on-air presence, and the fair portrayal of protected groups or what the CRTC calls diversity groups, namely women, Indigenous and racialized people, and people with disAbilities.

SECOND PROCEDURAL REQUEST: July 22, 2020 – CMAC submitted a second procedural request for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379 motivated by our access to internal CBC/SRC records on the employment of what the CRTC calls “diversity groups,” and the Commission’s abandonment of its duties to these “diversity groups.” You can read the second procedural request (as amended on July 24) here and access the attached annexes via these links:

You can also read CMAC’s first procedural request (PDF) and initial intervention (PDF) made on February 20, 2020, for BNC CRTC 2019-379.

INTERVENTION: August 17, 2020 – CMAC submitted an intervention for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-227, Call for comments on a standardized approach to monitoring linear community channels and on-demand community programming services. CMAC’s submission recommends several amendments to ensure the community television sector is providing “locally reflective community programming” and is fostering “a greater diversity of voices.” 

INTERVENTION: June 12, 2020 – CMAC submitted an intervention and a reply for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-124 concerning the “Call for comments – Regulations to be made under the Accessible Canada Act.” CMAC respectfully asks the CRTC to end systemic and institutional discrimination in this proceeding, asking that the Commission facilitate a new call for comments that exclusively focuses on the intersectionality of oppressions and barriers faced by people with disAbilities while meaningfully engaging 9(1)h, Indigenous, and Ethnic broadcasters as well as disAbility and public interest advocacy groups representing women, Indigenous and racialized people with disAbilities.

PROCEDURAL REQUEST and INTERVENTION: February 20, 2020 – CMAC submitted a procedural request (PDF) and an intervention (PDF) for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379. CMAC highlights the legal obligations of the CRTC to deliver on access, reflection and employment to “diversity groups” enshrined in laws, policies, and conventions. These legal frameworks motivate our procedural request and intervention that ask the CRTC to order the CBC/SRC to release all Annual Cultural Census reports, all notes and reports that resulted from each stage and activity it conducted within CBC/SRC’s 2018-2021 Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and all relevant data concerning diversity groups’ access, reflection and employment at the CBC/SRC.

2019

INTERVENTION: July 8, 2019 – CMAC submitted a procedural request (PDF) and an intervention (PDF) for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-91 and CRTC 2019-91-1, Call for comments on the Commission’s policy on Canadian programming expenditures (CPE). These submissions call for the CRTC to the  annually publish data that accounts for CPE devoted to producers who are racialized, Indigenous, or living with disabilities. In addition, CMAC recommends the CRTC implement mandatory antiracism education and training for CRTC commissioners and staff as well as antioppression training on the communication rights of protected groups, including people who are racialized, Indigenous, or living with disabilities.

2018

ORAL PRESENTATION: November 28, 2018 – CMAC presented its research during the public hearing and sumitted final comments (link to related documents) for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-127 – Applications for a national, multilingual multi-ethnic television service offering news and information programming, which, if licensed, would receive mandatory distribution on the basic service pursuant to section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act. Specifically, CMAC’s research develops assessment criteria based on the Act, relevant policies, international agreements, data on the portrayal of Indigenous and disAbled peoples in the news, and scholarship on multicultural and ethnic broadcasting to uphold the public interest and guarantee fundamental freedoms of protected groups.

INTERVENTION: June 7, 2018 – CMAC submitted an intervention for the process established by Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-127 and 2018-127-1 to respectfully advises the Commission examine closely the applications under the Notice to assess gaps concerning: 1) non-profit transparency and public accountability in governance of the 9(1)h licence and subscriber fees, 2) linguistic diversity (including Indigenous, English, and French languages) in news programming to promote intercultural dialogue, and 3) ethno-cultural reflection in programming and equity in employment. Using these exceptional standards that uphold the Criteria based on CMAC’s review of the Act, Policy, international agreements, data and research, CMAC recommends the CRTC approve Application #2017-1041-8 by Independent Community Television Montreal (ICTV-MTL).

ORAL PRESENTATION: May 1, 2018 – CMAC participated in the public hearing (CMAC Oral Presentation) and presented final comments (CMAC Final Submission) for CRTC 2017-365, concerning the renewal of 9(1)h licenses that are supported by public funding in the form of mandatory fees that transfer annually hundreds of millions of dollar from the consumers to broadcasters like CPAC, AMI, TV5/Unis, APTN, Canal M and the Weather Network/MétéoMédia among others. CMAC makes specific recommendations to the CRTC, adding: “Only clear rulings by the Commission and explicit requirements to demonstrate accountability and commitment to access by and reflection of protected groups and diversity, applied as conditions of license, will guarantee that viewers’ rights are met by the Canadian broadcasting system–as consumers and more importantly, as citizens.”

INTERVENTION: February 13, 2018 – To address gaps in the consultation process and record for CRTC 2017-359, the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) and the First Mile Connectivity Consortium (FMCC) submitted a “Consensus Set of Principles Guiding and Sustaining Diverse, Non-profit, Community Broadcast Programming and Distribution Models.” The Principles were prepared in consultation with more than twenty signatories representing community and Indigenous media organizations, producers and academic experts. CMAC’s intervention for Phase 2 recommends the Commission use these Principles to launch a third phase of consultation under CRTC 2017-359 specifically addressing the community, Indigenous, ethnic and disAbility sectors.

2017

INTERVENTION: December 18, 2017 – CMAC submitted a letter of support for OKâlaKatiget Society’s Part 1 Application 2017-1065-8 – Exemption from implementing the National Public Alerting System (NPAS) asking the CRTC to approve the request, recommending the CRTC must take responsibility for any policies that impose barriers on Indigenous radio stations participating in the broadcasting system.

INTERVENTION: December 8, 2017 – In response to Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-365 and 2017-365-1, CMAC submitted an intervention calling for the CRTC to examine closely Canada’s international obligations under the United Nations’ Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CPPDCE), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with the goal of assessing compliance by the services up for renewal (APTN, AMI, CANAL M, TV5 and UNIS) in addition to other recommendations.

INTERVENTION: December 1, 2017 – CMAC submitted comments for​ ​Broadcasting​ ​Notice​ ​of​ ​Consultation​ ​CRTC​ ​2017-359​ ​and​ ​2017-359-1 on the Governor in Council’s request for a report on future programming distribution models.

ORAL PRESENTATION: October 17, 2017 – CMAC made comments during the public hearing convened for Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-160, advocating for the Commission to “take bold and direct action, to protect community TV a crucial third pillar of Canadian broadcasting.”

INTERVENTION: September 5, 2017 – Commenting on the Part 1 application by Rogers Media Inc. to amend condition of licence – Quebec feed across Canada for OMNI Regional, CRTC 2017-0685-5, CMAC filed an intervention to recommend the Commission reject the request by Rogers Media Inc. to amend a condition of licence for its OMNI regional feed (ICI-Quebec) and drastically decrease the local-independently-produced ethnic television programming quotas for the province from 14 hours a week to 14 hours a month.

INTERVENTION: August 4, 2017 -CMAC submitted an intervention regarding theSirius XM Canada Inc. Part 1 Application 2017-0560-0 – Tangible benefits proposal filed by Sirius XM Canada Inc. in response to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-114.CMAC respectfully asked the Commission to reject the Applicant’s proposal to reallocate any of the discretionary benefits earmarked for the Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF), a crucial service in funding and thereby facilitating accessible and representative public participation within CRTC policy processes.

INTERVENTION: June 27, 2017 – CMAC filed an intervention on the public record for CRTC 2017-160. Within this intervention, CMAC advises the following, “Where BDUs, according to data reviewed by CMAC, continue to stand in non-compliance of the Policy, and given the severity of the non-compliance for community access programming and close captioning requirements, CMAC recommends the CRTC apply Section 32(2)(b) of the Act and fine non-compliant BDUs.” 

ORAL PRESENTATION: March 27, 2017 – The transcript from CMAC’s Oral Presentation in Gatineau, QC, at the Public Hearing for CRTC 2017-1 is available here: TranscriptofCMACInterventionQA and the audio from presentation of the Community Media Advocacy Centre is available here: CMAC_CRTC(2017-1).

INTERVENTION: February 7, 2017 – CMAC submitted an intervention (CRTC 2017-1) with the Commission to support applications by Wawatay Native Communications Society, Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta, and Northern Native Broadcasting for Indigenous radio stations in five cities across the state of Canada. CMAC’s intervention also opposes competing applications by VMS Media Group Ltd. and First Peoples Radio Inc.

INTERVENTION: January 16, 2017 – CMAC filed an intervention (CRTC 2016-1052-7 & 2015-0961-3) with the Commission to support an application by Gimaa Giigidoowin Communications seeking a license transfer for an Indigenous radio station in M’Chigeeng, Ontario.

2016

INTERVENTION: April 15, 2016 – CMAC submitted interventions concerning complaints made against BDU-run community television. We filed a letter of support (CMAC CRTC 2015-1264-0) for ICTV’s complaint against all of Quebecor’s nine MAtv channels and procedural letters concerning more than sixty complaints by CACTUS, CSUR and Nowpolling.ca (CMAC CRTC 2016-0098-2, et al.).

INTERVENTION: February 16, 2016 – CMAC submitted final comments for the Community TV policy review. The submission is available here: CMAC CRTC 2015-421, Final Comments

ORAL PRESENTATION: January 25, 2016 – CMAC board members were in Ottawa to present at the CRTC hearing for “A Review of the policy framework for local and community television programming.” Read the presentation here: CMAC CRTC 2015-421, Oral Comments or watch the archive online from CPAC (VIDEO LINK, starts after 59:00)

2015

INTERVENTION: November 6, 2015 – CMAC submitted comments for the CRTC proceedings regarding the Community TV policy review. To read CMAC’s comments, please see our intervention for “A Review of the policy framework for local and community television programming” here: CMAC CRTC 2015-241