Dear Editor,

I am appalled at the national Conservative leader's repeated calls for the "defunding" of CBC, the cornerstone of our society.  His rationale, as he has stated, is that the CBC is a Liberal-controlled propaganda outlet.  Nothing could be farther from the truth, the truth being a stranger to whatever PP claims, has claimed, and will self-righteously claim in his black, 1940鈥檚 preacher-style stovepipe suit that speaks volumes for his regressive views.  Our CBC, in whatever form, speaks for all of Canada, including severe regressives. 

The fact is that our beloved CBC, whether manifest as tv or radio, is an essential lifeline for Canadians to sample our beautiful culture/country, west-east, north-south, regardless of political affiliations.  Its news coverage is stellar, first-class journalism:  public affairs or international to the highest professional standard.  Its broad mandate to "inform and entertain" so meaningfully achieved daily, despite the fact that its tiny taxpayer cost is about half of what other public broadcasters in countries such as New Zealand, Australia or Britain etc. receive from their federal governments.  Our wonderful CBC has continued to serve all of Canada despite Steven Harper's huge cuts to our national dialogue,despite the Liberals' limited adjustments, and despite the increasing need to speak against the disease of social media with its distortions, manipulations, and outright lies. Thus, the CBC is our lifeline to reality, not some handy political football. 

I could now delineate an extensive list of CBC programs that are essential to our national well being but the word count here is limited.  The real point is that conservative governments always want to keep people uninformed, even stupid, and easily manipulated into further denial of reality--based further disaster.   How much of such nonsense can we tolerate? 

Richard Youds

Comox