Friends of Canadian Media has launched a nationwide campaign, calling on Canadians to choose the party that will fund CBC/Radio-Canada in the upcoming federal election.
In a play on the word “fund,” the English FU** the CBC campaign is kicking off with projections onto buildings and wild postings in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and the greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA). Ad display trucks will also drive through Vancouver, the GTHA, and Ottawa, while digital ads, TV and radio commercials will appear in both languages starting next week across the country.
“For months, we’ve had to endure Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s cynical calls to defund our national public broadcaster,” Friends Executive Director Marla Boltman said in a release. “We want to support funding for CBC/Radio Canada, so we’ve created a bold campaign that pokes fun at political ads and encourages voters to choose a party that will defend CBC/Radio-Canada, not defund it.”
Boltman said with the campaign being launched in the midst of a trade war with the U.S., Canadians are galvanized to stand up for their sovereignty and democracy.
“Given the recent unprovoked economic attacks by Trump and his digs about the 51st state, Canadians are rallying around the maple leaf to protect our sovereignty and our democracy,” added Boltman. “That makes CBC/Radio Canada’s ability to gather us as a national community more important than ever.”
The media advocacy group’s campaign comes on the heels of a set of proposed amendments to the Broadcast Act from Canadian Heritage Min. Pascale St-Onge that would ensure a more “stable and predictable” source of funding for the public broadcaster by establishing a statutory appropriation based on an annual per capita formula that would not require an annual vote by Parliament as part of the budget process.
The minister also intends to bring CBC/Radio-Canada’s federal funding more in line with its G7 counterparts. Right now, the public broadcaster places sixth among G7 countries, allocating $33.66 per capita, well below the average of $62.20.
