Miller defends CBC mandate, funding increase from opposition attacks

Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller defended Budget 2025’s funding increase for CBC/Radio-Canada in response to questions from opposition MPs, saying that decreasing the organization’s resources would “erode public trust.” Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) appeared before the House finance committee on Feb. 10 to discuss Bill C-15, the government’s budget legislation, and the public broadcaster was a hot topic for committee members. During the meeting, Miller argued a well-funded public broadcaster is a crucial component of the fourth pillar of democracy. He said if funding was decreased or eliminated, it would damage the CBC’s credibility and undermine the trust of Canadians. Miller said the $150 million funding increase laid out in the budget was important because the CBC is currently underfunded compared to public broadcasters in other countries. Given the current environment of misinformation and disinformation, he said, the CBC is an important body for providing access to reliable information. “As a beacon in that sometimes vomitorium, you need an independent broadcaster that has the resources, often supported by the state, without the influence of the state,” Miller told committee members. He also emphasized that the CBC is a significant part of the media’s ability to keep governments accountable. “It should never be understated, a key pillar in keeping me and you accountable, but also members of the opposition,” he told Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos (London Centre, Ont.). “And so a key to that is making sure that information is honest truthful with a process that ensures that independence, where journalists can ask me the same difficult questions that they ask the opposition.” In February 2025, former heritage minister Pascale St-Onge released proposed changes for CBC’s mandate. The recommendations included raising the organization’s funding to match the average level for national public broadcasters in G7 countries – $62 per capita, compared to the CBC’s $33.66 per capita. The budget’s $150 million increase will not bring the broadcaster close to the G7 average, and Miller did not express any long-term funding goals, though he did acknowledge the per-capita gap. However, Miller distanced himself from St-Onge’s views on advertising. In her report, St-Onge suggested that CBC cut ads from its news programming, a belief that the new minister does not share. When asked by Bloc Québécois MP Jean-Denis Garon (Mirabel, Que.) if running advertisements should be part of the CBC’s mandate, Miller said he does not think that ad broadcasting is a big deal. Conservative MP Andrew Lawton (Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, Ont.) also pressed Miller about the CBC’s mandate. Lawton referenced a first-person story about a woman’s experience getting botox, and a TV show about “a tomato that speaks to children about colonialism,” likely referring to the single-season 2022 CBC Gem show Lido TV. The Tory MP then asked Miller if this kind of content fit the CBC’s mandate and if it is “vital to the Canadian identity and cultural fabric that we must pay for this.” Miller argued Canadians should be able to expect the public broadcaster to produce content that is relevant to the Canadian public. “It doesn’t have to be necessarily relevant to you or me,” he said. Miller came to the defence of the CBC’s independence, saying it is not up to the government to decide what content it produces or what ads, if any, it broadcasts. “It’s not an institution that should lack scrutiny, but it certainly needs independence,” he said. “And when I say independence, it doesn’t mean that they are unaccountable. Ultimately, CBC is accountable to the legislation that creates it, but also to the public.” After the meeting, Miller acknowledged internal discussions about modernizing CBC’s mandate, but would not commit to a mandate review, despite criticisms the review is overdue. “I think we are in constant reflection about the future of the CBC,” he told The Wire Report. “I think we made some commitments during the campaign, and it’s ones that we want to see through on.” Miller also told the committee that the CBC plays an important role for small communities. Often, he said, the CBC is the only resource for news in rural areas, but it also has cultural implications. He argued that Radio-Canada helps maintain the fabric of the French language outside of Quebec, and broadcasts Canadian culture and talent across its platforms. “ so critical,” he said. “More than just news, making sure people are able to hear themselves in their accents and languages that they see when they talk to their family or go to the store.” mcollins@thewirereport.ca

Miller defends CBC mandate, funding increase from opposition attacks

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By Maria Collins
|February 11, 2026

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