I Like the "C" in my Football and Broadcasting

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my CFL. And although I try to get to live games during the summer, it is really the Saturday games throughout the fall that I enjoy. The double-header on Labour Day is the start of the fall portion of the season and I try to catch the games as often as possible. And, truth be told, I'm much more interested in the Battle of Alberta game. Go! Stamps Go!

For the last few years, Calgary has been a bottom-barrel team but this year they are rebuilding so I was excited to see how they would fair. And then they started to get pummelled - like, 13 t0 1, then 20 to 1 pummelled. And the defense just couldn't seem to get it together against Ray's consistent and accurate arm. There was Ray under heavy pressure just lobbing the ball away and getting yards. But, in true CFL fashion, the goodness is in the end of the last quarter. I've always been amazed at people that walk out of a game before the end because experience has taught me that ALOT happens in the last few minutes of a Canadian football game. The Stampeders fight back and then blow it. But thanks to a lucky penalty call are handed the touchdown opportunity anyway! It was a totally edge-of-my-seat moment as Burress decides to go for 2 and make it a 1-point game. But he blows it again. And sadly, the game ends with Ray doing a trifecta of kneels. I do like the snappy new uniforms though.

The real sad part of the game was not the loss - that was almost expected. The sad part was having to watch the game without any commentary. Thanks to the CBC lock out the only comments available were those of the stadium announcer. There were no Gillette Game Notes. There was no half-time banter with Greg Frears and Sean Millington. It was bad enough that I had to lose Chris Cuthbert this year (he was let go in February and now calls the games for TSN on Fridays) but to have NO commentary at all?! On Labour Day!! It hurt!!

So this is when I get to rant about the current CBC lockout. It's important to remember that this is a lockout situation and NOT a strike because it means the corporation has decided that it can do better without its employee base so much that it will not "bow" to its demands. The lockout leaves about 80% of the CBC workforce off the job including Rex Murphy, Ron Maclean, Anna Maria Tremonti, Peter Mansbridge! and my CFL commentary crew. The issue at hand is job security as the corporation wants to make incoming positions contract or short-term and thereby deny new employees things such as benefits and a career path.

Now, I don't really care if you call yourself a CBC fan. In fact, I think many people would say they are not without realizing how much the CBC gives. To me, the CBC is the Canadian voice. It is part of shaping Canadian culture. It brings Canadians to Canadians like no other media-provider can. Our world cup events, the Olympics, domestic music, film and television, and the Canadian viewpoint thanks to shows like Cross Country Checkup and Sad Goat. Think of it this way ... the NHL may be back this season but it may not have Don and Ron along for the ride!

Many nations (to which we may compare ourselves) have government supported broadcasters (Australia and Britain!) and these organizations help to unite and build national identity. What moments do your remember as Canadian ones? Who are the voices that speak the Canadian reality? They are found on the CBC. And the corporation thinks that it can work without these people? How can the CBC maintain the personality and identity buildiing that we rely upon if it moves to a contract and short-term employment scheme?

It worries me that our national broadcaster is becoming an ad hoc employer. It is funded by us and I know that many people may want their funding elsewhere. But the joy of having a public broadcaster is that your voice can be heard if you be believe that funding the CBC is important or that the CBC is important to Canada, or that Canadians should have solid Canada-based jobs. We can all make it happen with our public broadcasting corporation.

I want my Greg Frears hotness back.
I want my snappy-suited Sean Millington back.
I want the Canada back in my broadcasting corporation.