Minister Rodriguez convenes Independent Advisory Committee to recommend qualified potential appointments to the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors

The Government of Canada will make appointments based on an open, transparent and merit-based selection process.

GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 30, 2022 /CNW/ – The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the process by which members are appointed to the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors is independent, merit-based and results in the recommendation of high-quality candidates.

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage announced today the members of the newly reconstituted Independent Advisory Committee, which will recommend candidates for potential appointments to the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors, as some current members of the board are now nearing the end of their mandate. This independent and non-partisan body has a mandate to conduct a selection process for Governor in Council appointments and provide the Minister of Canadian Heritage with recommendations of highly qualified candidates that respect gender parity and truly reflect Canada’s diversity.

The advisory committee will be guided by published, merit-based criteria in order to identify Canadians who would make a significant contribution to the work of the Board of Directors of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The members of the Advisory Committee are:

Charles Décarie, Quebec (Chairperson)
Paul Andrew, Northwest Territories
Cameron Bailey, Ontario
Françoise Enguehard, Newfoundland and Labrador
Jocelyn Formsma, Ontario
Prem Gill, British Columbia
Michael Goldbloom, Quebec
The Honourable Lisa Raitt, P.C., Ontario
Monique Simard, Quebec
Jeremy Torrie, Manitoba

Under the leadership of the former non-partisan independent advisory committee established in 2017, three selection processes were held in 2017–18 for the positions of President/Chief Executive Officer, Chairperson and members of the board, and resulted in the recommendation of highly qualified candidates.Quotes

“I would like to thank all the members of the advisory committee for accepting this role. I am confident they will advise us in selecting the right people to guide our national broadcaster. Canadians trust that the Board of Directors of CBC/Radio-Canada has a firm grasp on the ever-evolving broadcasting and digital environment. The advisory committee members will help us identify candidates that are the best in class and have a deep understanding of Canada as well as the broadcasting world.”

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian HeritageQuick Facts

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of the country’s largest cultural institutions. CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate is to inform, enlighten and entertain, contribute to the sharing of national consciousness and identity, reflect Canada’s regional and cultural diversity, provide local, national and international information and analysis from a Canadian perspective, and contribute to the development of talent and culture in Canada. To achieve this mandate, CBC/Radio-Canada produces, acquires and distributes Canadian programming in English, French and eight Indigenous languages, and distributes a selection of programs around the world.

Under the Broadcasting Act, the CBC/Radio–Canada Board of Directors, composed of 12 directors including a Chairperson and its President/Chief Executive Officer, are appointed by the Governor in Council and hold office for a term not exceeding five years.

In 2015, the Government of Canada adopted a new approach to Governor-in-Council appointments. This approach respects the principle of diversity and is based on an open, transparent and merit-based selection process. It results in the recommendation of competent high-quality candidates that reflect Canadian diversity.

As they become available, all appointment opportunities within the 16 organizations in the Canadian Heritage Portfolio are posted on the Governor in Council Appointments website. Those interested can apply online.

As a Crown corporation in the Canadian Heritage Portfolio, CBC/Radio–Canada is independent from the government and is responsible for its own day-to-day operations.Related Products

Biographies: Members of the Independent Advisory Committee to Recommend Qualified Candidates for potential appointment to the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors

The Government of Canada continues process put in place five years ago to ensure Governor in Council appointments are transparent and accountable to Canadians.

BIOGRAPHIES

Charles Décarie, Quebec (Chair)

President and Chief Executive Officer of global leader in comedy, Just For Laughs, Charles Décarie has over 20 years of experience working in leadership positions across multiple sectors within the entertainment industry. In his current role, he is responsible for driving growth and international expansion across Just For Laughs’ divisions—from festivals and live shows to digital TV production and content creation. He began his career at Deloitte Consulting, where he advised numerous international organizations including Bombardier, Bell Canada, the Hong Kong Airport Authority and Canada’s Department of National Defence. Subsequently, as Chief Operating Officer for Cirque du Soleil, he was instrumental in establishing the global brand, introducing touring shows in 200 different markets across five continents and establishing resident shows in both Las Vegas and Orlando, USA. He also has significant experience within the technology industry, having served as Chief Operating Officer for multi-sensory attraction developer Triotech prior to joining Just For Laughs.

Paul Andrew, Northwest Territories

Paul Andrew was born in the Mackenzie Mountains and grew up in Fort Norman, now called Tulita. He is a resident of Yellowknife and is well known for his work in culture, residential school education and healing. He was first taken to a residential school at the age of 8 and spent a total of seven years there. He became Chief of Tulita at age 22 and had a 30-year career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation before his retirement. Paul Andrew has received numerous awards, including the Order of the Northwest Territories and a National Aboriginal Achievement Award.

Cameron Bailey, Ontario

Cameron Bailey is CEO of TIFF and the Toronto International Film Festival®. He is responsible for setting TIFF’s strategic direction and leading its teams toward fulfilling TIFF’s mission to transform the way people see the world through film. Bailey grew up in England and Barbados before migrating to Canada. He began his career as a film critic, then joined TIFF in 1990 as a seasonal programmer. At TIFF he headed the Festival’s Perspective Canada program and founded its Planet Africa section in 1995. For 20 years he worked as both programmer and critic, contributing to Toronto’s NOW magazine, CBC Radio One, and CTV’s Canada AM. He has been published in The Globe and Mail, The Village Voice, and Screen, along with several books. In 2015, Bailey participated in CBC’s Canada Reads competition, successfully championing Kim Thuy’s novel Ru. Bailey has taught film curation at the University of Toronto and holds an honorary doctorate from Western University. He is a Chevalier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters and is a member-at-large of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For 10 consecutive years, (2012–2021), Toronto Life magazine has named him one of Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People.

Françoise Enguehard, Newfoundland and Labrador

Born in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Françoise has been living in St. John’s for almost 50 years. She is a journalist (formerly with Radio-Canada, now a columnist for L’Acadie Nouvelle), a recognized author, a volunteer in the Atlantic francophone community (President of the Société Nationale de l’Acadie from 2006 to 2012 and of the Fondation Nationale de l’Acadie from 2014 to 2018). She has led large-scale events, including the celebrations surrounding the 400th anniversary of Acadie and 500 years of presence in Newfoundland, in 2004, and in 2016, the Bicentennial celebrations of the return of the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to France. As head of her own company, VIVAT Communications, she specializes in communications.

Jocelyn Formsma, Ontario

Jocelyn Formsma is the Executive Director of the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC). Ms. Formsma is a member of the Moose Cree First Nation in Treaty #9 territory in Northern Ontario. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Ottawa and is called to the Bar of Ontario. Ms. Formsma has over 20 years of work and volunteer experience building strong relationships and advocacy with Indigenous Peoples. She has worked in areas of social justice, media (radio and film), child welfare reform, youth engagement, and Indigenous children’s rights with and for numerous Indigenous and First Nations organizations. In addition, Ms. Formsma serves as a Board Member for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Board Member of the Indigenous Bar Association, a past Board Member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, Founder of the Morningstar Fund, and is an Advisor to the Ontario Indigenous Youth Partnership Project. As Executive Director, Ms. Formsma brings her legal training and passion for Access to Justice to her work with Indigenous Peoples in urban environments and the Friendship Centre Movement towards innovative, positive and effective systemic change for Indigenous Peoples.

Prem Gill, British Columbia

With a career that began in television and broadcasting, Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC, brings more than 25 years of national, international, private and public leadership experience across digital media, content creation and entertainment. As head of BC’s economic development agency for the creative industries, her vision and strategy centre on sustainable sector growth, placing emphasis on collaborative solutions that address social inequity and the climate crisis.

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, P.C., Ontario

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt’s current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors, which align closely with her deep expertise. Prior to her current role, Ms. Raitt was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected to the House of Commons in 2008, where she went on to hold three senior portfolios serving as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour and Minister of Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada. Ms. Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Guelph. She possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario bar in 1998. In 2020, Ms. Raitt was named a Woodrow Wilson Center Global Fellow of the Canada Institute.

Michael Goldbloom, Quebec

Michael Goldbloom was appointed as Chair of the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors on April 3, 2018, for a five-year term. He began his career as a labour lawyer at Martineau Walker (now Fasken) in 1981, and has significant experience in Canada’s news media industry, serving in the role of Publisher for both The Gazette in Montréal from 1994 to 2001 and the Toronto Star from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Goldbloom has been Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke since 2008. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the YMCA de Montréal. He also served in a voluntary capacity as President of Alliance Quebec and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ville Marie Social Services Centre, Selwyn House School and of the YMCA of Quebec Foundation. In December 2013, Mr. Goldbloom was appointed to the Order of Canada for his work building bridges between Montréal’s English- and French-speaking communities. Mr. Goldbloom holds a Bachelor of Arts in Modern European History and Literature from Harvard University (1974), and a Bachelor of Civil Law (1978) and Common Law (1979) from McGill University.

Monique Simard, Quebec

Active in the cultural milieu for more than 25 years, first as an independent producer with more than 60 productions to her credit, Monique Simard was Director General of the NFB’s French program (2008–2013) and then President and CEO of Sodec (2014–2018). In 2018, she was appointed by the federal government as a member of the Expert Panel for the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Law Review (Yale Report). Recognized in her field, she is regularly solicited for her expertise. In 2022, she is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fonds Québecor, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles, as well as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vitrine culturelle du Québec.

Jeremy Torrie, Manitoba

Jeremy/Waabishki Makwa is an Ojibwe from the Treaty 3 territory in Ontario. He is a pipe carrier, traditional drummer, and practitioner of Ojibwe ceremonies. For three decades he has worked to realize his path as the ancestors foretold at his birth—as an aadizookewinini (storyteller) through the mediums of film and television. Firmly established as a multi-award-winning writer, director, and producer, his stylistic vision is complemented by his pursuit of thought-provoking stories of (mostly) a spiritual nature for mainstream audiences. He believes his work in this life is to assist in elevating human consciousness. Exploring our human condition has taken Jeremy around the world, including Iraq, Jordan, Greece, Italy, Bosnia, France, Germany, Austria, the UK and Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Taiwan, Mexico, Chile, South Africa and virtually every corner of Turtle Island. Jeremy is a CMPA member on various working committees including the REDIAC, Feature Film and Regulatory, and a member of the Director’s Guild of Canada. He recently joined the CSC and their Diversity Committee to provide new opportunities for BIPOC communities in the camera department. He is the CSC’s first Indigenous member.Associated Links

CBC/Radio-Canada

Former non-partisan independent advisory committee established in 2017

SOURCE Canadian Heritage