wr OF amd Douc CoLLins JUST BEFORE I went on vacation, the governors of our airwaves, otherwise known as the Canadian Radio, Televi- sion & Telecommunications Commission, announced it was planning new ways to curb freedom of speech. They didn’t put it like that, of course. Censors never do. But if they get their way, open line pro- grams from B.C. to Newfoundland will be reduced to kids’ pap. The idea, you sce, is to turn talk sta- tions into verbal versions of the Post Office. Or, worse still, carbon copies of the CBC. comment, In other words, you would not be allowed to say that your local MP is a jerk, the saying of which is an old Canadian custom. Appropriate mechanisms should be put into place to ensure the pre-screening of incoming calls. For pre-screening, read pre-cen- OnE OT PCE ESE, [, n parliament, or in any legislature, across the country, they can say any damned thing they like and no one can sue them...But why don’t they grant a few freedoms to the peasants?’’ The proposals are a blueprint for insipidness. Yet not a single MP has spoken out against them. Not even Chuck Cook, who used to be in the open line game himself. (Not surprising, seeing that he backed Bill-169, designed to prevent private groups from getting into the act during federal elections.) We even had the Morning Wimp approving of them. A real laugh, that, because if the CRTC pro- posals were applied to the print media, every newspaper would read like the telephone book. Here are just a few items from this CRTC junk. Program hosts should avoid sensationalism. But what's that? Brian Baloney would say that anything that reflected badly on him was sensationalism. He did exactly that with several of the Ot- tawa scandals. In choosing guests to appear on open line programs, licensees should take appropriate steps to minimize the possibility of abusive REYES CE SN sorship. But just in case something is likely to stip through, there’s this: - Precautions....should be taken with respect to callers,,..particularly where the Sssues being discussed are likely to be volatile or controversial. In other words, tell the callers they are not to say anything that anyone could bitch about. Better still, tell them to put a tape on their tongues. Then there’s the usual nonsense about abusive comment, hatred or contempt on the basis of race, na- tional or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, etc., all of which is designed to please social workers, academics, food bank aperators, socialists, left-wing lib- erals and others of that ilk. Above all, it is designed to curb discussion on immigration, one of the favorite topics of the great unwashed. With all this in mind, | went to a meeting of the Canadian Free Grants fall for train From page 4 Treend says the society has managed to cut costs by $350,000 a year, but that achieving a zero def- icit is impossible. FINE WOODWORKING TOOLS|) Beginning next year, an adult round-trip fare to Squamish will increase from $20 to $24. A boat- train ride on the MY Britannia will also jump from $38 to $42. & MACHINERY - for the discriminating woodworker. See our vast selection of books. Speech League. Pat Burns was the guest speaker, and he was in great form. It will take more than rockers to tape his tongue. What the hell is going on here? he asked. Aren’t we supposed to have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees freedom of speech? (Yes, Pat, we are. But as you know, some people are more free than others.) He pointed out that the politi- cians have looked after themselves. Not only do they fix their own salaries. Not only do they fix their own pensions. They also fix their own freedoms. In parliament, or in any Jegislature across the country, they can say any damned thing they like and no one can sue them. Which, Pat said, is OK by him. But why don’t they grant a few freedoms to the peasants? Why don’t they speak up against this CRTC crap? The CRTC also wants open line hosts to be accurate. Sounds good. But what is accuracy? Which of our courts is accurate? asked Pat. The lower court that reaches one verdict? The higher court that reaches another? The Appeal Court that may reach another, or the Supreme Court of Canada that has the last say? And all on the same case! Did I say that the Morning Wimp approved of all this? Burns holds the press in contempt. ‘‘The press is a toothless watchdog,”’ he boomed. ‘‘They’!l hold the bloady flashlight for the burglar while he rifles your pockets.”” Under the new CRTC proposals, Burns wouldn't be able to say that — if he still had a program. 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