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Two CBC unions call on network president and board to resign

The CMG and SCRC, two of the unions that represent CBC and Radio-Canada members, say there is a lack of confidence in CBC leadership. [[{“fid”:”4914″,”view_mode”:”default”,”fields”:{“format”:”default”,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:””,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:””},”type”:”media”,”attributes”:{“title”:”CBC headquarters in Toronto. CMG and SCRC have raised concerns about the plan that would have the CBC sell off its property. Photo courtesy of Aeman Ansari.”,”height”:360,”width”:630,”style”:”width: 700px; height: 400px;”,”class”:”media-element file-default”},”link_text”:null}]]…

The CMG and SCRC, two of the unions that represent CBC and Radio-Canada members, say there is a lack of confidence in CBC leadership.

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By H.G. Watson, Associate Editor

Two of the unions representing CBC and Radio-Canada workers are calling on the president and board of directors of the public broadcaster to resign.

In a letter released to its members and the public on Oct. 29, Carmel Smyth, the national president of the Canadian Media Guild, said there was no confidence in president Hubert T. Lacroix because of the role she said he and the board have played in the downsizing of CBC.

“Over the last eight years, CBC/Radio-Canada has been systematically ​cripple​​d, with unprecedented programming cuts across the country and questionable plans to sell off production assets and buildings​, ​which threaten​s​ the public broadcaster’s ability to produce programming in both official languages. Along with constant cuts to staff—more than 25 per cent of workers laid off in five years—this damage is the vision of this President and Board.”

Le Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada, the union representing Radio-Canada members in Quebec and New Brunswick, also sent a letter to its members with the same message.

According to the Toronto Star, members also received a copy of a petition calling on Lacroix and the board to step down. Among the reasons listed on it are the 2020 strategy, which involves selling the CBC’s property, and the layoffs of over 3,000 staff between 2009 and 2015.

A CBC spokesperson told J-Source in an email that Lacroix “is encouraged by the incoming government's expressed support for public broadcasting and their commitment to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada.”

“He looks forward to working with them, our unions and our employees to ensure Canadians get the best in public broadcasting.”

H.G. Watson was J-Source's managing editor from 2015 to 2018. She is a journalist based in Toronto. You can learn more about her at hgwatson.com.