Where the Ontario Parties Stand on TVO and TFO: the Details
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Where the Ontario parties stand on TVO and TFO: the details Party (in alphabetical Riding Answers order) /Candidate Green Party Additional languages; more reflection of multicultural population; supports efforts to get content online; Ontario History, News, Natural Steven Toman Ajax‐Pickering Wonders, Arts and Cultures most imp. program areas; yes to funding for local coverage; francophone service where population warrants it Patti Chmelyk Brampton West Very supportive, yes to all Aren Bedrosyan Don Valley East Yes to all “I am answering an enthusiastic yes to all your questions. TVO English and French programming Louis Fliss Don Valley West should be a permanent, well funded fixture for Ontarians.” Edward Yaghledjian Durham Supportive, no automatic funding increase Jason Matyi Essex Yes to all Angela Salewsky Etobicoke‐Lakeshore Yes to all Peter Ormond Hamilton Centre Yes to all W. Peter Randall Hamilton East‐Stoney Creek TVO and TFO are “paramount.” Yes to most, “no (funding) increase should be required” for more regional coverage; healthy Robert Rose Kitchener‐Conestoga food education is important and missing from programming Supportive; cultural and current affairs are Kevin Labonte London North Centre important programming areas; more local coverage on TFO “if demographics require it.” Not supportive of increased production on TVO, or Kristopher Kuysten Newmarket‐Aurora programming on TFO, not supportive of increased TFO coverage in his area Very supportive; more environmental coverage, Stacey Leadbetter Oshawa would like to see “more of Ontario shown off … a show that highlights diff parts of Ontario.” Kyle Jones Renfrew‐Nipissing‐Pembroke Yes to all Supports more online programming; more regional coverage outside Toronto; more TFO “in Judith Van Veldhuysen St. Paul’s areas of the province that have a higher Franco‐ Ontarian base.” Pat Rogerson Sudbury Yes to all, big supporter Where the Ontario parties stand on TVO and TFO: the details Generally supportive; more peace and Scot Kyle Thunder Bay‐Superior North environmental coverage; no to more local coverage and funding on TVO and TFO Yes to all, including increased funding even though Mark Daye Toronto Centre Toronto is covered enough; cable companies should be mandated to carry TFO Tim Grant Trinity‐Spadina Supportive, but hasn’t watched TV in two years. “I support publicly‐funded educational broadcasting because nothing like it exists on cable”; however weak support for TFO, believes Michael Vettese Willowdale Radio‐Canada does a good job of covering Quebec; families who can prove they are bilingual should get TFO for free. Yes to all; most important programming is “non Joseph Rini York West corporate funded news programs/ investigative journalism” Liberal Party Ancaster‐Dundas‐ Ted McMeekin Lib party position (see below) Flamborough‐Westdale Karl Walsh Barrie Lib party position Dave Levac Brant Lib party position Megan Cornell Carleton‐Mississippi Mills Lib party position Lori Holloway Dufferin‐Caledon Lib party position Ken Schmidt Essex Lib party position Laurel Broten Etobicoke‐Lakeshore Lib party position Sophia Aggelonitis Hamilton Mountain Lib party position John Gerretsen Kingston And The Islands Lib party position John Milloy Kitchener Centre Lib party position Michael Chan Markham‐Unionville Lib party position Dipika Damerla Mississauga East‐Cooksville Lib party position Catherine Whiting Nipissing Lib party position Northumberland‐Quinte Lou Rinaldi Lib party position West Yasir Naqvi Ottawa Centre Lib party position Dalton McGuinty Ottawa South Lib party position Where the Ontario parties stand on TVO and TFO: the details Bob Chiarelli Ottawa West‐Nepean Lib party position “Answers from heart”: yes to all; more funding for production, as long as it fits within budget; says current affairs programming in an educational and investigative manner is most important; wants Cindy Waters Parry Sound‐Muskoka more regional coverage of her region “since so many people visit us to spend time in nature. It would be great if they saw some of the struggles we experience as well as the beauty of our surroundings.” Tracy MacCharles Pickering‐Scarborough East Lib party position Reza Moridi Richmond Hill Lib party position Donna Kenwell Simcoe‐Grey Lib party position Jim Bradley St. Catharines Lib party position Eric Hoskins St. Paul's Lib party position NDP Ancaster‐Dundas‐ Trevor Westerhoff NDP party position (see below) Flamborough‐Westdale Peggy Russell Burlington Supportive, individual answers Supportive; would like to discuss need for more Atinuke Bankole Cambridge funding Dionne Coley Etobicoke‐Lakeshore NDP party position NDP party position + likes political/current affairs Nik Spohr Halton coverage; supports funding for local programming; support for TFO “Fully” Supportive of TVO and TFO; “There are a lot of commercial options providing a multitude of choices. I think public networks like TVO and TFO should concentrate on regional and Canadian made content that informs and entertains, both in Jeff Buchanan London West fiction and non‐fiction programming.”; more coverage of Ontario politics (mentions Fourth Reading); would appreciate more London coverage, but resources should be focused on covering Ontario; Michelle Bilek Mississauga Erindale NDP party position Wendy Byrne Ottawa West‐Nepean NDP party position Alex Zyganiuk Parry Sound‐Muskoka Yes to all Ellen Papenburg Perth‐Wellington NDP party position Where the Ontario parties stand on TVO and TFO: the details Adam DeVita Richmond Hill NDP party position Progressive Conservatives Tim Hudak Niagara West‐Glanbrook Letter (see below) ** Liberal Party response: 1. Do you support independent, publicly‐funded provincial educational broadcasting in English and French for Ontarians of all ages (ie. children, youth, adults and seniors)? Yes. We are committed to a strong and healthy TVO and TFO, so that they are able to provide excellent English‐language and French‐language multi‐media services and programming, with a clear focus on their educational mandates. Last year, we celebrated TVO’s 40th anniversary as Ontario’s English‐language public broadcaster. TVO has an important role to play in providing educational programming to Ontario children; reaching over 1.2 million children each year. TFO is the only French‐language television network in Canada whose operations are based entirely outside of Quebec. Ontario Liberals established an independent TFO in 2008. 2. Do you support long‐term and adequate provincial funding for TVO and TFO to ensure they can serve Ontarians effectively? Yes. That is why we will be providing TVO nearly $53 million and TFO over $22 million this year to support their operations and capital expenditures. We are also revitalizing and modernizing TVO and TFO by supporting their conversion to digital production and distribution. 3. Do you support increase TVO production of online and TV programming on current affairs, Ontario politics, arts and culture, and science and nature on TVO? Yes, that’s why we have increased base funding for TVO by $16.3M in 2011‐12. 4. Do you support cultural and current affairs programming and programs for children and Franco‐ Ontarian youth on TFO? Yes. We recognize the importance of public cultural and current affairs programming and programs for Franco‐Ontarian children and youth. Ontario Liberals are committed to developing a vibrant and prosperous francophone community. We have demonstrated that commitment by adopting legislation in 2008 to establish an independent TFO. Where the Ontario parties stand on TVO and TFO: the details An independent TFO provides Francophones with a stronger voice and enables them to fully benefit from TFO’s potential as an educational, cultural and socio‐economic development institution. TFO focuses on the development of French‐language and culture in a variety of initiatives, such as Early Years, Literacy and Numeracy, E‐learning, and the Politique d’aménagement linguistique ‐ language policy, as well as the development of French language and culture in Ontario TFO produces, co‐produces and acquires approximately 4000 multi‐media educational programs, which are accessible at no charge to all French‐language schools and English‐ language schools offering immersion programs (93,000 French‐language students and 120,000 English‐language students in immersion program). 5. Is there any area of programming that you believe is more important than any other? We think it’s important that educational programming is available to Ontario families, including content focused on: • Contributing to school readiness and helping kids to be successful learners; • Increasing the involvement of parents in their children's education; and, • Encouraging active citizenship and public engagement. 6. Is there any area of programming you think is missing or not covered enough? We would like to see an increase in multicultural programming reflecting Ontario’s diverse population. 7. Would you like to see more coverage of your region on TVO and do you support increased public funding to make it possible? 8. Would you like to see more coverage of your region on TFO and do you support increased public funding to make it possible? Ontario Liberals think that TVO and TFO do a great job of covering regional issues and topics and showcasing different parts of the province. 9. Will you work to develop an open, transparent and non‐partisan method for selecting the CEOs and Board Chairs of TVO and TFO? Yes. We are committed to ensuring that we have a selection process