{"id":1625,"date":"2014-11-17T22:27:42","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T22:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmg.ca\/toronto\/cbc\/?p=1625"},"modified":"2014-11-17T22:38:02","modified_gmt":"2014-11-17T22:38:02","slug":"multiple-protests-across-canada-against-cuts-to-cbcradio-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmg.ca\/toronto\/cbc\/multiple-protests-across-canada-against-cuts-to-cbcradio-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Multiple protests across Canada against cuts to CBC\/Radio-Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"B2lYIu9IQAADVe\"<\/a>

Photo: Guy Lepage @guyalepage<\/p><\/div>\n

CBC\/Radio-Canada supporters gathered in Montreal, Matane, Sept-\u00celes, Quebec City, Saguenay, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivi\u00e8res, Rimouski, Gasp\u00e9 and Moncton in New Brunswick to protest against deep cuts and job losses at the Crown corporation.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Louis Blouin @ICILouisBlouin<\/p><\/div>\n

A sea of blue flags emblazoned with the CBC logo \u2013 also known as the CBC pizza \u2013 rolled down Ren\u00e9-L\u00e9vesque Boulevard in Montreal Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\"Moncton-B2lDbX5IAAATMr3\"<\/a>

Moncton, NB. Photo: Nicolas Steinbach @NSteinbach_RC<\/p><\/div>\n

The protests across Quebec and in Moncton were organized by CBC\/Radio-Canada’s main unions for the French-language service, along with other supporters operating under the banner Tous Amis de Radio-Canada (Friends of CBC.)<\/p>\n

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Photo: Fanny Lacasse, La Presse<\/p><\/div>\n

Protesters assembled at Montreal’s Square-Victoria and headed to the CBC headquarters in Quebec, Maison Radio-Canada, where organizers decried the cuts to Canada’s public broadcaster.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Phil Carpenter \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p><\/div>\n

Last summer, CBC\/Radio-Canada president Hubert Lacroix announced his plans to trim staff, cutting 1,500 employees by 2020.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Simon Dessureault \/ Agence QMI<\/p><\/div>\n

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said he is worried what the cuts to CBC\/Radio-Canada mean for people who do not live in major metropolitan regions.<\/p>\n

“I live in the regions, and I want quality regional news. I also want francophones in Quebec to continue to have information in our language. These elements for me are very important,” Couillard said.<\/p>\n

He said he has no words of advice for the administration of CBC\/Radio-Canada.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Laurent Therrien @LaurentTherrien<\/p><\/div>\n

The Canadian Media Guild has called for a moratorium on job cuts at the public broadcaster.<\/p>\n

There was an outpouring of support for the CBC\/Radio-Canada as thousands of people took to the streets on a wintry Sunday afternoon to protest ongoing budget and job cuts at the Crown corporation.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Anne-Marie Dussault @AMarieDussault<\/p><\/div>\n

Waving blue flags decorated with the CBC\/Radio-Canada logo, thousands of \u201cfriends\u201d of the CBC\/Radio-Canada marched from Victoria Square to the CBC headquarters on Ren\u00e9 L\u00e9vesque Blvd., calmly but loudly denouncing the cuts, which many believe constitute an assault on the broadcaster.<\/p>\n

Many spoke of Radio-Canada\u2019s role in Quebec as being more than a provider of news and entertainment, but as preserving the francophone culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf something isn\u2019t done, these cuts may mean that Radio-Canada\u2019s mandate to protect the French culture won\u2019t be fulfilled,\u201d said Lisa Djevahirdjian, one of the organizers of the Montreal protest.<\/p>\n

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Saguenay, PQ. Photo: M\u00e9lissa S. Souli\u00e8res @mssoulieres<\/p><\/div>\n

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Trois-Rivieres, PQ. Photo: Marie-\u00c8ve Trudel @MarieEveTrudel1<\/p><\/div>\n

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Rimouski, PQ. Photo: Luc Tremblay @Trembluc<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Matane.<\/a>

Matane, PQ. Photo: M-F Tremblay ?@mftremblay<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Moncton,<\/a>

Moncton, NB. Photo: Catherine Allard<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Sherbrooke,<\/a>

Sherbrooke, PQ. Photo: IMACOM, Julien Chamberland<\/p><\/div>\n

Similar protests were held in Matane, Sept-\u00celes, Quebec City, Saguenay, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivi\u00e8res, Rimouski, Gasp\u00e9 and Moncton, N.B. They were organized with the help of some of Radio-Canada\u2019s main unions, but as a result of support for a grassroots organization called I Love CBC\/Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.<\/p>\n

That organization was launched when Nicolas B\u00e9dard started a Facebook page lamenting the decimation of the CBC\/Radio-Canada. He got thousands of responses and a citizen\u2019s movement was born.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Marie-Eve Maheu @memaheu<\/p><\/div>\n

CBC\/Radio-Canada president Hubert Lacroix has announced plans to cuts 1,500 jobs (almost 20 per cent of the work force) by 2020 \u2014 and some at Sunday\u2019s demonstration were calling for him to resign. He has been accused of aiding and abetting the Conservatives\u2019 agenda to slowly demolish the company.<\/p>\n