Liberal Leader Mark Carney and the NDP's Jagmeet Singhexpressed support Friday for federal spending to ensure a strong national public broadcaster, a notion Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre dismissed as something Canada simply can't afford.
On the federal election trail, Carney and Singh each said a healthy CBC/Radio-Canada is crucial to protecting the country's sovereignty in the face of attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump and the general rise of misinformation.
Poilievre has repeatedly spoken of his desire to "defund" the CBC while preserving its French-language services.
During a campaign visit to Montreal, Carney pledged to boost CBC/Radio-Canada's funding by an initial $150 million and enshrine its funding structure in law so that Parliament would have to approve any changes, while directing the corporation to develop a new strategic plan.
"We will modernize the mandate of our public broadcaster, we will give it the resources it needs to fulfil its renewed mission and ensure that its future is guided by all Canadians and not subject to the whims of a small group of people led by ideology," Carney said.
"Our plan will safeguard a reliable Canadian public square in a sea of misinformation and disinformation, so we can stay informed and tell our own stories in our own languages."
Singh, who was also campaigning in Montreal, said it's more important to "invest significantly" in a reliable public broadcaster given the threats from misinformation and disinformation that endanger democracy, as well as Trump's assaults on Canadian sovereignty.
"CBC, as a public broadcaster, has been a fundamental part of celebrating Canadian culture, celebrating Quebec culture," Singh said.
Asked about the issue Friday in Trois-Rivières, Que., Poilievre said his approach to the public broadcaster "won't have an impact on Radio-Canada."
He then took aim at Carney.
"We can't go on spending money we don't have on things we don't need, or our people are going to end up with even more brutal inflation," Poilievre said. "I will be cutting waste, bureaucracy, consultants, foreign aid and other unnecessary expenses to reduce taxes, debt and inflation. That's the choice in this election."
Carney said Canada's identity and institutions face foreign interference, and instead of defending them, Poilievre is following Trump's lead and "taking aim at our institutions like CBC/Radio-Canada."
He rejected Poilievre's plan to preserve only the broadcaster's French-language operations.
"You can't split this, baby. His attack on CBC is an attack directly on Radio-Canada, and it is an attack on our Canadian identity."
— With files from Catherine Morrison, David Baxter, Kyle Duggan and Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa, Alessia Passafiume and Maura Forrest in Montreal and Pierre St-Arnaud in Trois-Rivières, Que.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2025.
