From: "Karen Wirsig" <karen@cmg.ca
  To: "Pam Astbury" <saveourcbckamloops@hotmail.com
  Subject: Re: A response from Bev Oda
  Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 11:19:44 -0400

Hi Pam - this is exactly what each government of the day
does to insulate themselves from potentially unpopular
decisions (ostensibly made by the CBC, which is too often
forced into difficult choices these days because of years of
inadequate funding).

We need to talk and strategize this week, as the CRTC's
report on TV policy is due to come out. In it, the CRTC will
signal whether broadcasters can stop over-the-air
transmission once there is a transition to digital.

If the CRTC does indeed say that, I believe we need to say
that the Government of Canada must play a role in ensuring
that Canadians in smaller towns and rural areas continue to
have access to local TV broadcasting over the free
airwaves. That probably means providing a special fund to
the CBC to help it upgrade its transmitters over time to
digital and to ensure full coverage. (The first priority
would go to providing OTA in places like Kamloops that
have been cut off).

Obviously, that would mean putting Bev Oda back on the hot
seat!!

Let me know what you think...

Karen