Fwd: Breaking News

[D. W. Dietrich]

Note:   If you forward this email, please delete the forwarding history, which includes my email address. It is a courtesy to me and others who may not wish to have their email addresses sent all over the world. Erasing the history also helps prevent Spammers from mining addresses and prevents viruses from being propagated

Thought you might be interested.  If not, delete.  If you are, join up in any way you can, by donating and/or passing on the word.  thanks. d.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ian Morrison - FRIENDS <ian.mo...@friends.ca>

Subject: Breaking News

Date: 10 June, 2013 2:15:28 PM EDT

To: ddp...@gmail.com

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Dear Dw, Thank you for your recent investment in our work to protect the editorial independence of the CBC. Something very disturbing has come to my attention and I wanted to update you right away. The Harper Conservatives have released the policy resolutions that will be considered when delegates to the Conservative Party convention meet in Calgary later this month. Among the proposals are policies that would ultimately kill CBC funding altogether, converting CBC into a beggar broadcaster and eliminating services Canadians depend on. One proposal would actually delete a statement about the importance of the CBC to Canada.  Check it out for yourself here. Make no mistake.  These proposals would not have been published in this official Conservative Party publication without approval from the highest office in Conservative circles.  They must be taken seriously. Perhaps the Conservatives are trying to distract attention from the Senate scandal and other transgressions that are eroding their base of support. In so doing, Stephen Harper is becoming a rogue Prime Minister who has abandoned important traditions inherited from his political forebears across political party lines, and supported by thevast majority of Canadians – who value the CBC. Our challenge is to make sure that Canadians do not forget these attacks in the future, especially as the next election draws near. We must also defend public broadcasting on every front they choose to attack.  The battles include: Stephen Harper’s Omnibus Budget Bill C-60 is set to become the law of the land in a matter of weeks.  Without change, it will give the Harper Conservatives all the power they need to turn our CBC into a political propaganda machine.  FRIENDS is committed to defending CBC’s independence and we are actively strategizing to exploit all political and legal options at our disposal. If adopted and implemented by the government, any one of the convention proposals would spell the end of CBC TV and Radio services that are vital to Canadians and the oxygen our democracy needs to survive.  FRIENDS is developing a strategy to highlight these policy proposals when the Conservative Party convention meets in Calgary from June 27 – 29.  We are also laying the groundwork for the most ambitious on-the-ground campaign we have ever mounted in defence of public broadcasting in Canada. Stay tuned for updates on all of these initiatives.  You can see this fight will be intense and the stakes are enormous.  The very future of the CBC as a PUBLIC broadcaster, not a STATE broadcaster, is at stake. Cordially, Ian Morrison Spokesperson FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting P.S. Given the extraordinary circumstances, should you wish to "top-up" your recent contribution please click here.

view email in browser   | update contact info  |  unsubscribe FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting is an independent watchdog for Canadian programming  and is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party. View FRIENDS' privacy policy.