QUESTION PERIOD — Canadian Heritage
CBC/Radio-Canada
March 12, 2026
Government leader, recent testimony before a committee in the other place, from a former CBC anchor, raises deeply troubling allegations about Canada’s public broadcaster. Travis Dhanraj, the former host of “Canada Tonight,” told parliamentarians that he was repeatedly silenced and intimidated, and he described what he called a toxic culture within the CBC. He also spoke about instances where he was blocked from booking conservative voices on his program and even prevented from reaching out to Conservative parliamentarians for comment.
Canadian taxpayers expect their hard-earned dollars to fund a balanced and independent broadcaster. How can Canadians trust the CBC when these serious allegations suggest bias, mismanagement and a toxic workplace culture — over $1 billion?
You are well aware that the CBC is an independent Crown corporation.
You were not aware of that?
But it is a Crown corporation, and what you are referring to is a situation between an employer and an employee. There is no political involvement in that chain between the CBC as an employer and the gentleman to whom you are referring as an employee, as well as his testimony.
I think that it is exactly what it should be: no political involvement in the labour relations within a Crown corporation.
If the government were to do otherwise, you would be the first to criticize that, and you would be right. Whenever there is a situation where a Crown corporation is an employer, let them deal with it. If anything illegal has been done, the courts will settle the matter. That is where —
Thank you, Senator Moreau.
It is a Crown corporation, but it is funded by taxpayers at $1.4 billion per year. Many people feel they are not getting value for their money nor a fair representation of the full range of views of this country.
Why does your government refuse to address the growing concerns about bias, mismanagement and the loss of public trust at the CBC?
What do you know about this specific case regarding the fact that there is mismanagement? I don’t know the situation between that employee and his employer, and you probably do not know either.
It is one side. When you have testimony, it is one side of the matter. I would prevent any member of this chamber from interfering in the management between an employer and an employee. That is not the way it works in Canada.
