CRTC Vancouver Public Hearing Intervention

Capital Region Race Relations Association

Harinder Dhillon • 11/28/00

Madame Chair, Members of the Commission, Commission Staff, broadcasters, and members of the public:

My name is Harinder Dhillon, and I am here today to support the application of NewCap Broadcasting.

I am the Coordinator of the Capital Region Race Relations Association. We are a local anti-racism support services center. We have been the recipient of two awards, one by the Attorney General in 1999, and this year a Building Safer Communities Award from the Ministry of Women’s Equality and BC- Yukon Transition House Societies.

We also established the Community Coalition Against Racism in Victoria, which has over 40 groups as members, including students, unions, women’s groups, human rights organizations, and front line workers. We have taken on controversial issues such as the fine line between free speech and hate speech.

We have also made appearances before the Commission on previous occasions to support significant initiatives in the broadcasting field: at the Vancouver Hearing this year, for a Victoria television licence and a multi-lingual programming license for the lower mainland. As well, we have participated in CRTC roundtable discussions.

We are especially interested in the development of truly inclusive media which reflects the diversity in our communities. When I say inclusive media, I am speaking about how media can, and continues to impact the lives of people of colour on a daily basis.

I believe that your decision in this licensing process can make a significant difference for the vast audience that now has no voice.

For instance, here are a couple of examples that demonstrate the media’s failure to serve the public interest.

The first case is well-known in Vancouver’s Aboriginal community.

A local commercial radio phone-in host was heard asking for listeners to call in as many stories that that had the negative stereotypes of "lazy, drunken Indian".

The outrage from the community which followed the news of this particular programming, was in fact lead by local Native radio broadcasters from community station COOP radio, because they at least had limited access to the airwaves. Why did the commercial radio station take no action against that host? Why did the station think it could get away with such bigotry? And we must ask how can such negative attitudes could be so easily promoted?

The second example involves an ongoing coroner’s inquest in Victoria, in which there is very little media coverage taking place, either here in Vancouver, or on the island. In this case, an Aboriginal man had died under mysterious circumstances involving police, paramedics and health care professionals.

These two example, and many others, lead us to wonder how to overcome systemic discrimination? The answer, in part, is actually rather straightforward: integrate ethnically diverse people into newsrooms, and into each department within every media outlet.

Listeners in Vancouver need to consistently hear these ethno-specific voices and their perspectives on the airwaves. It is this presence that will provide designated groups a sense of belonging.

Equity initiatives in any worksite offer marginalized groups an opportunity to overcome employment barriers. This resulting in staff diversity which becomes not only an asset to employers, but also to the listening community.

The NewCap proposal in front of you is very complimentary to progressive race relations policies. The four designated employment equity groups are women, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal persons, and people of colour.

NewCap is committed to a hiring policy that will reflect the actual make-up of each of these designated groups in the community at large. For example, if NewCap were to follow the Federal guidelines, it would simply be required to hire no fewer than 30% women. Because NewCap will reflect the actual make up of society, it will be staffing no fewer than 50% women.

And NewCap will operate with this staff from all four of the employment equity groups from day one.

I am also here to support NewCap’s application because, through its approval, the Commission will be creating two new editorial voices in Vancouver. The second being the Vancouver Aboriginal Voices Radio.

Both NewCap and AVR efforts will work together to bring balance to Vancouver media. In the case of AVR, the remedy has a national impact because the programming produced will heard across the country.

NewCap’s funding for an AVR news bureau in Vancouver, staffed by an Aboriginal reporter, will definitely have a positive impact on Vancouver’s understanding of Aboriginal stories, issues and perspectives.

Listeners are neglected by Vancouver radio stations. They have a right to be informed, and they have a need to understand.

The Race Relations Association is encouraged by the partnership between AVR and NewCap. A partnership that will strengthen communities and build new relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

The Commission should agree to license both NewCap and AVR, and not lose this opportunity to bring new voices to Vancouver airwaves.

Commissioners, make this a win-win for all Vancouver listeners.

Thank you for your consideration this morning.

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, and I wish you the utmost wisdom as you deliberate on your decision.

So how do the benefits of these offerings stack up?

I believe that funding for AVR is the benefit that will have the single greatest impact, not just in Vancouver, but right across Canada. The support of AVR will work to improve Aboriginal-mainstream relationships, not just in Vancouver, but also in Edmonton, Regina and so on across the country, wherever else AVR programming goes.

NewCap’s funding will seed the AVR effort, and allow rapid growth into other cities where Aboriginal issues are just as important as they are here.

I wish to clearly make our request that you approve licenses for both NewCap and AVR. Commissioners, you will have taken a major step to ensuring that "the special place of Aboriginal peoples" is reflected on our radios.

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This welcoming and engaging opportunity to participate in media helps to overcome the type of isolation which leads to ignorance and fear of the unknown.

An equitable media workplace leads society to a better understanding of its own diversity, and builds tolerance and understanding

This approach to equity is far more progressive than the minimum required under Federal legislation. Because NewCap is new in the market, and they plan to spend a lot on programming, this will mean more new jobs than would be generated by any one of Vancouver’s existing operators. This means more jobs still for people from the designated groups. These aren’t a few additional hirings within an existing workplace like you would expect with another license for one of Vancouver’s stations. As a completely new entrant into the market, NewCap will hire as many as 40 new staff.

The news coverage on both of these stations will shine a light on all that is right and wrong in our society, without excluding stories of interest to any of the designated groups. Coverage of news from East Hastings, for instance, will be more likely to be fair and accurate if the reporter knows the neighbourhood and has been there before. An equitable newsroom ensures equitable coverage and helps include stories of particular interest to designated groups. This approach can correct the mistaken impressions that mainstream coverage creates, usually through omission.

where an Aboriginal man died at the hands of the police.

You can read all this week in the national editions of the Globe & Mail or the National Post about a police brutality incident in the Toronto area, but Vancouver’s media are unmotivated to cover the same kind of story here involving an Aboriginal person. Why are they not covering the story?

Commissioners, when you sit down to really compare these smooth jazz commercial radio applicants, what factors will help you pick the winner?

If you are taking into account truly inclusive media.

I have given examples, there are others. it will continue without change. In the NewCap application, you have a chance to make a real difference.