National

Heritage minister proposes banning ads from CBC news programming

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Feb, 2025 10:46 AM

The outgoing federal heritage minister says she wants to bar CBC/Radio-Canada from running ads during news programming and from charging subscription fees for digital products such as CBC Gem.

In turn, the government would increase the public broadcaster's funding and make it more stable.

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge, who released her plan for revising CBC/Radio-Canada's mandate Friday, says the public funding the broadcaster receives is about half the G7 average for national public broadcasters and she would like to bring it more in line with other countries.

Listen to my press conference on my vision for the future of CBC/Radio-Canada.👇https://t.co/wBhzgMEbPP
— Pascale St-Onge (@PascaleStOnge_) February 20, 2025

The minister also says she wants to enshrine the importance of delivering impartial news coverage in the CBC's mandate.

But St-Onge isn't likely to have time to implement her plan, with an election likely to come this spring.

St-Onge says she will not run again in that election, adding she is a new mom and wants to be present in the early years of her child’s life.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Helicopter team rescues unconscious skier after fall at B.C.'s Mt. Cain

A search and rescue team on Vancouver Island says it rescued a man who suffered a "serious fall" while skiing at Mt. Cain this weekend. Comox Valley Search & Rescue says in a post to social media that members responded to rescue the unconscious 35-year-old from the mountain's west bowl on Saturday.

Helicopter team rescues unconscious skier after fall at B.C.'s Mt. Cain

Canada, G7 leaders, denounce Venezuela's suppression of political opposition

Canada is joining its closest allies in denouncing Venezuela's crackdown on democracy — the first G7 foreign policy statement since Canada began chairing the group this year. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated Friday for a third six-year term, after a July election widely seen as illegitimate.

Canada, G7 leaders, denounce Venezuela's suppression of political opposition

Feds issue new COVID vaccine guidance, says provinces now responsible for buying them

Federal funding for COVID-19 vaccines will stop this year and the provinces and territories will be responsible for buying them, as well as determining the timing of the vaccinations, the Public Health Agency of Canada says. The agency published the information online on Friday, along with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's COVID-19 vaccine guidance for 2025 through to the summer of 2026.

Feds issue new COVID vaccine guidance, says provinces now responsible for buying them

Ottawa signs $40M deal with Saskatchewan to offer drug coverage for rare diseases

The Saskatchewan and federal governments have announced an agreement for coverage of select new drugs for rare diseases. Ottawa says the plan is to invest more than $40 million to cover three drugs that treat certain cancers and a urinary issue.

Ottawa signs $40M deal with Saskatchewan to offer drug coverage for rare diseases

Liberal leadership race: A look at the potential candidates

The federal Liberals are running their first leadership race in more than a decade and their shortest in the party's modern history to replace Justin Trudeau. He announced Jan. 6 that he will step down as soon as a national vote is completed to elect his successor.

Liberal leadership race: A look at the potential candidates

Man dies after falling into a sinkhole while skiing at resort in southeast B.C.

A skier has died after falling into what police say was a snow sinkhole at the Fernie Alpine Resort in British Columbia's East Kootenay region. RCMP say in a statement that an ambulance was called for the 67-year-old man on Wednesday when he was found buried in snow in a natural terrain trap.