Chair, Board of Directors
This year, the Board of Directors continued to play an important role in planning for the future of CBC/Radio-Canada. We also looked back on 75 years of public broadcasting at
CBC-Radio-Canada.
Over 75 days, CBC/Radio-Canada really was
Yours to Celebrate. Canadians from coast to coast to coast participated and shared their memories with us during these celebrations, which peaked on November 2, 2011.
In February 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada launched Strategy 2015: Everyone, Every way/Partout, Pour tous (Strategy 2015), our roadmap for the future, which will offer programming that is more distinctively Canadian, more regional and more digital. Canadians expressed their strong endorsement of our five-year strategy through open letters of support, positive reaction to our new local service expansion plans, excellent numbers for our television winter season, and for our Canadian programming in general on both networks.
In anticipation of the proposed reduction in our parliamentary appropriation, the Board worked very closely with senior management during the year to ensure that every effort was made to use the 2015 strategic plan as a guide for all proposed changes by English and French services, as well as corporate services. Given the magnitude of the funding reduction announced in the federal budget on March 29, 2012, the Board reconfirmed its support for the decisions and choices made by senior management and announced in April 2012. The Corporation is now in a position to push forward with Strategy 2015 at a slower pace. On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank all the staff at CBC/Radio-Canada for handling these difficult decisions in a positive and timely manner.
Since this is the last time I address Canadians as Chair of the Board, I would like to extend special thanks to all the staff at CBC/Radio-Canada. For five years it has been a privilege for me to work with you and witness your dedication and passion for CBC/Radio-Canada and Canada.
Timothy W. Casgrain
Chair, Board of Directors
