Peter Conroy - Conservative

The Conservative Party of Canada supports arts and culture, and the preservation of Canada's diverse heritage. Arts, culture and heritage make a substantial contribution to Canadian society and in a positive way, affect the quality of life of many Canadians. While recognizing Canada's diverse culture and shared history, we will work to strengthen opportunities and accessibility in both the domestic and international markets for our creative works.

Although we would need to see a definitive plan before making a specific funding commitment to any group or organization, please be assured that funding for Canada's arts and culture communities would be a priority for a Conservative government. The Conservative party believes that government support should be linked to accountability, transparency and sustainability. A review of programs and policies will ensure that they effectively meet their objectives, are based on merit, and remove political involvement from the process.

Regarding the nations broadcasting system, the Conservative Party believes in a stable Canadian presence in a varied and vibrant broadcasting system. The Canadian broadcasting system should offer a wide range of Canadian and international programming, while being respectful of Canadian content. The system should provide audiences with maximum choice and have the ability to utilize new technologies to achieve its public and private objectives.

The CBC-SRC is an important part of the broadcasting system in Canada. It must be a true public service broadcaster, relevant to Canadians. The Conservative party will focus the CBC-SRC services on its mandates as public broadcasting services.

The Conservative party recognizes the vital role played by the private broadcasters of Canada through their local and regional programming that reflects the language and multicultural realities of our country. Private sector broadcasters and service-providers first and foremost are businesses and must be able to compete in an ever-increasing fragmented and global market. The Conservative party recognizes the need for both regulatory flexibility and predictability.

Broadcasting policy in Canada must be relevant in today's communications environment and responsive to the demands of Canadians. The Conservative party will review and update the Broadcasting Act to ensure its relevance in today's technological environment. The Conservative party will establish clear, national policy directions and a framework that will maximize the freedom of choice and ensure that freedom of speech is respected. The CRTC's role in content regulation will be reduced to eliminate duplication where other legislation exists.