By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

In an interview on Feb. 24, 2025, Pascale St-Onge, Liberal MP for Brome-Missisquoi and Minister of Canadian Heritage, outlined her vision for the future of CBC/Radio-Canada, emphasizing the need for increased independence, stable funding, and enhanced local news coverage. St-Onge also confirmed that she will not seek re-election, citing a desire to focus on her newborn son and family life.

St-Onge stressed that her proposal is built on three pillars: finance, governance, and mission. “All of that needs to be updated because the last time it was done was in the 1990s, and the world has evolved quite a bit,” she said. She emphasized that nearly 80 per cent of Canadians, including Quebecers, support a strong public broadcaster but want improvements in its structure and mission.

Stable funding and independence

One of the cornerstone changes in St-Onge’s vision is to stabilize CBC/Radio-Canada’s funding through a per capita formula enshrined in the Broadcasting Act. This approach would eliminate political interference in budgeting and provide predictable funding based on Canada’s population. “The public broadcaster belongs to the Canadian population, not to a particular government or political party,” she explained.

Currently, CBC/Radio-Canada receives $33 per capita, significantly less than the G7 average of $62 per capita. St-Onge emphasized that other G7 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, invest considerably more in their national public broadcasters. She suggested that the funding increase could be phased in gradually over five to seven years, ensuring stability and enabling strategic planning for programming and investments.

St-Onge argued that long-term predictable funding is essential for CBC/Radio-Canada to continue delivering vital services, particularly in the face of growing challenges from foreign digital platforms that shape how Canadians consume content. “We cannot trust the billionaire tech giants to provide relevant information for us to be able to understand the world that we’re in,” she stated. She also pointed to the growing need for reliable information in times of emergency and geopolitical instability, underscoring the public broadcaster’s role in ensuring Canadian sovereignty.

Emphasis on local news and cultural representation

St-Onge’s vision also addresses the issue of “news deserts” emerging across Canada due to newsroom closures. She proposed that increased funding would enable CBC/Radio-Canada to expand its local presence, ensuring Canadians in all regions see themselves reflected in the programming.

“By increasing its funding, one of the goals is that CBC becomes closer to Canadians where they are,” she said. She noted that programming decisions are often made in urban centres like Toronto and Montreal, leaving rural communities feeling unrepresented. St-Onge emphasized the need for decentralization to improve local content and community engagement.

Her plan, as detailed in a related press release, also highlights the importance of cultural representation, including the development of an Indigenous strategy in collaboration with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. St-Onge’s proposal includes a focus on separating French and English programming to better serve Canada’s diverse linguistic communities.

Modernized governance and public accountability

St-Onge is also advocating for modernized governance to enhance transparency and public trust. She proposed that the next CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada should be appointed by the board rather than the government to remove any appearance of partisan influence. “We want to make sure that people can trust the public broadcaster,” she stated.

She emphasized that the appointment process should follow best practices observed among G7 countries, where CEOs of public broadcasters are typically selected by independent boards to avoid political bias. “The next CEO should be directly accountable to the board and to the Canadian population,” she added.

St-Onge also suggested that CBC/Radio-Canada should be legally obligated to consult with the Canadian public and demonstrate how public input influences strategic decisions and programming. This measure, she argued, would foster a sense of ownership among Canadians, reinforcing the broadcaster’s role as a pillar of cultural identity and democratic dialogue.

Renewed mandate and role in emergency broadcasting

Another significant component of St-Onge’s vision is to enhance CBC/Radio-Canada’s role as a trusted source of information during emergencies. She argued that the public broadcaster should be the primary emergency network, capable of reaching Canadians during natural disasters or geopolitical crises.

“Canadians need to be able to rely on factual information and also be able to access it,” she said, highlighting the importance of ensuring that CBC/Radio-Canada remains accessible even when digital communication networks fail. She suggested that strategic investments would be necessary to fully realize this mandate, positioning CBC/Radio-Canada as a reliable source during emergencies, similar to public broadcasters in other G7 countries.

St-Onge also proposed that CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate be expanded to focus on trustworthy and impartial news, increased citizen participation, and a collaborative Indigenous strategy developed in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.

Leaving federal politics but not closing doors

St-Onge confirmed that she will not run for re-election as the Liberal MP for Brome-Missisquoi, attributing her decision to the birth of her son three months ago. “It’s really important to me to be present for his first few years,” she shared, emphasizing the challenges of balancing motherhood with the demands of federal politics. She acknowledged that her role as Minister of Canadian Heritage required significant travel, both nationally and internationally, which influenced her decision to step down.

Despite stepping down, St-Onge made it clear that she is not leaving politics entirely. “I’m not closing the door for any return in politics at some point, if the context is right,” she said. St-Onge also expressed her commitment to supporting the Liberal Party in the upcoming election, stating that she believes the party has a strong chance of winning.

Looking ahead, St-Onge said she is eager to see how Liberal leadership candidates respond to her CBC/Radio-Canada proposal, emphasizing that their stance on public broadcasting will be a key factor in her potential endorsement. She noted that she has not yet endorsed any leadership candidate but will consider their commitment to public broadcasting, environmental goals, and their ability to compete against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

Liberal party and Brome-Missisquoi’s future

When asked about the future of the Liberal Party in her riding of Brome-Missisquoi, St-Onge said she would leave the selection of her successor to the local riding association and the party. “I do think it needs someone who’s strong in the riding, that people know,” she said. St-Onge noted that Brome-Missisquoi remains a key riding for the Liberal Party, with strong potential for victory in the upcoming election.

With her departure, St-Onge leaves behind an avowedly comprehensive vision for CBC/Radio-Canada’s future while also setting the stage for political change in Brome-Missisquoi.