Can-Challenge: Privatize the CBC and Canada Post

[RogueBeaver]

POD 1967, make this happen without extinguishing either the Liberal or PC Parties.

[Dan1988]

Privatization of the CBC is not going to happen, thank you very much. You'd have the whole of Québec in an uproar (because of Radio-Canada), not to mention people from all walks of life (me included) who would resist such a move.

[RogueBeaver]

Or you can have both the Ceeb and SRC privatized. Imagine the CBC owned by Conrad Black.

[Dan1988]

Originally Posted by RogueBeaver

Or you can have both the Ceeb and SRC privatized. Imagine the CBC owned by Conrad Black.

Actually, the CBC also owns Radio-Canada (which has widespread support among Francophones because it's a public broadcaster), so that's strike 1.

Strike 2: CBC/Radio-Canada is never going to be privatized - whoever does so would pretty much lose an election and not just from being accused of not supporting Canadian culture and the arts. To have that happen would only increase the concentration of media into a few hands, which to me is dangerously unhealthy.

Strike 3: CBC/Radio-Canada owned by Conrad Black would be horrible, especially since the man is in jail (where he rightfully belongs). That alone would be as bad as Silvio Berlusconi in Italy - only this time operated by an apologist for "Le Chef", which as a Franco-American makes me queasy.

Personally, I think a country is civilized if it has a public broadcaster - but then again that's probably because I'm a broadcast media enthusiast.

Now, Canada Post is a different story - whilst I do think that government should operate basic infrastructure as a public service, the Post Office I could actually see fulfilling your criteria. The problem - I don't know how.

[RCAF Brat]

Well, apart from Hockey Night in Canada, what does the CBC have that is worth watching? CBC lost the broadcast rights to the CFL and to the Olympics. If they (the CBC) were to lose the rights to the NHL, they are toast, as apart from hockey, they air little if anything that people will actually watch.

[RogueBeaver]

I honestly don't think the Canadian public has the stomach for real Thatcherism, even though Mulroney delivered with Air Canada and CN IOTL. Harper has the will and the cunning but will never do it, because we Tories will get painted (esp here in QC) as crazy right-wingers and will never get a majority.

[Domoviye]

I think we'll see the CBC, but not public radio part sold off as soon as the Tories get a majority. Public Radio is popular and isn't losing a lot of money, CBC is not as popular and is losing a lot of money.
For Canada Post not going to happen now, its seen as too important.

The only way either of these could happen, would be if Canada had gone bankrupt in the early 1990's like people were afraid of. If Canada became insolvent the drastic measures a lot of provinicial parties took to get back in the black, would have spread to the Federal government as well. And frankly if Canada was in that bad of shape, even the sacred cow of the CBC could end up on the chopping block.

[Sachyriel]

Originally Posted by RogueBeaver

I honestly don't think the Canadian public has the stomach for real Thatcherism, even though Mulroney delivered with Air Canada and CN IOTL. Harper has the will and the cunning but will never do it, because we Tories will get painted (esp here in QC) as crazy right-wingers and will never get a majority.

You are crazy right wingers who will never get a majority.

[Magniac]

Originally Posted by RogueBeaver

Imagine the CBC owned by Conrad Black's receivers.

Fixed it for you.

[Orville_third]

Originally Posted by RCAF Brat

Well, apart from Hockey Night in Canada, what does the CBC have that is worth watching? CBC lost the broadcast rights to the CFL and to the Olympics. If they (the CBC) were to lose the rights to the NHL, they are toast, as apart from hockey, they air little if anything that people will actually watch.

There is one excellent series, which the CBC funds, but does not produce. (This still qualifies it as Can-Con.) That's Doctor Who.

[Sachyriel]

Originally Posted by Orville_third

There is one excellent series, which the CBC funds, but does not produce. (This still qualifies it as Can-Con.) That's Doctor Who.

Since...

Also, if it could be a series based loosely around the exploits of a Canadian:

JAMES BOND.

He's based on a Winnipeger.