Politics 2.0: Carney’s Liberals Pledge to Protect Canadian Identity by Strengthening CBC/Radio-Canada

MONTREAL, QC — April 4, 2025 — Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced today that a future Liberal government would make major investments in CBC/Radio-Canada, positioning the public broadcaster as a key line of defence in protecting Canada’s national identity and democratic resilience in a global environment Carney says is awash in disinformation and foreign influence.

The plan includes a new governance mandate, statutory funding protections, and an immediate $150 million funding increase, intended to modernize the CBC and shield it from what Carney called ideological attacks inspired by U.S. political forces.

“In this kind of crisis, protecting Canada’s identity is part of securing Canada,” Carney said, taking direct aim at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has previously proposed defunding the CBC. “We will never cower to President Trump’s attacks on Canada. Poilievre follows his playbook—we will stand up for Canada.”

A Reinforced Mandate for a Modern CBC

Carney’s proposal outlines a broad expansion of the CBC/Radio-Canada’s role:

• Stronger governance and accountability through a new strategic leadership and innovation framework;

• Support for Canadian culture and languages, including Québec’s distinct identity;

• Expansion of local news coverage, with more reporters and bureaus in underrepresented regions;

• A new mandate to disseminate life-saving emergency information clearly and reliably;

• Focused efforts to fight disinformation, making the CBC a go-to source for trusted content;

• Investment in digital innovation, to better meet Canadians’ changing media habits.

The inclusion of emergency broadcasting and counter-disinformation tools reflects a growing concern about the reliability of public communication in an era of AI-generated content, foreign propaganda, and declining trust in news media.

Stable, Statutory Funding

The Liberals also plan to enshrine CBC/Radio-Canada funding into legislation, shielding it from future political interference and ensuring Parliament, not partisanship, determines its future.

Carney announced an initial $150 million funding increase, with long-term funding expected to align with international public broadcasting standards. CBC/Radio-Canada will be tasked with creating a strategic modernization plan to reflect the expanded mandate and support digital innovation.

Politics 2.0: National Identity and Media in the Crossfire

In this Politics 2.0 era, where media trust and national identity are both under strain, the future of public broadcasting is shaping up to be a key dividing line in the 2025 federal campaign.

Carney’s strategy draws a direct contrast with Poilievre’s ongoing attacks on the CBC and highlights a broader Liberal narrative about defending Canadian institutions from foreign and ideological influence.

This move by the Liberals is going to likely draw out Conservative fire as the defunding of the CBC is a red meat Conservative policy.

The Conservatives see CBC Reporters as working for the Liberal Party more than reporting balanced news.

The Conservatives have also stated that they will eliminate the Local Journalism Initiative which provides government funding for the salaries of journalists.

CBC/Radio-Canada: Where Do the Federal Leaders Stand?

Politics 2.0 – NetNewsLedger Comparison Card