Monday, July 20, 2009

The CBC as an Instrument of Colonialism – Blind to Overt Racism


From: Denis Rancourt <>
Date: Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 6:27 PM
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Subject: ReVision Quest Feedback, complaint to the CBC Ombudsman
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To:
CBC Ombudsman <>
Cc: Chris Straw <>, liaison@radio-canada, marco.dube@cbc, angus.mckinnon@cbc, liaison@cbc
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Dear Mr. Carlin,
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I have attached below all the relevant exchanges in this matter.
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I find the answer from Mr. Straw to be a confirmation of my concerns about ReVision Quest.
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Therefore, I urge you to make a thorough investigation into this matter. It appears that there is a problematic (systemic?) culture within at least part of the CBC that would minimize and recast Canada's well documented and reported genocide of its aboriginal peoples.
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You will have no problem finding the relevant scholarship on this question. The CBC must not act as an agent of a Canada that would deny, minimize, and recast its bloody history in the treatment of aboriginal peoples. Given Canada's documented history of divide and conquer tactics against aboriginals, having co-produced the show with "normalized" (assimilated) aboriginal citizens is not a valid excuse for the continued cover up and violations.
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Portraying present aboriginal misery, which is the necessary fallout of cultural and physical genocide, as simply a social problem of individual choices and family psychology is an insult to humanity. ReVision Quest is an abomination.
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If you find yourself having difficultly seeing the racist nature of ReVision Quest, simply replace "Indian" for "Jew" or for "French Canadian" and I think you will understand what I am talking about.
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If you send me a transcript of the show that I heard on July 6th, I can provide a point by point analysis, if that can be of help in your work.
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As partial reparation I would request a CBC radio series hosted and co-interviewed by academics such as Ward Churchill, and/or activist professionals such as Kevin Annett, and/or key figures of grass roots resistance to uranium mining, treaty disrespect, and border disputes, etc.; not the white-chosen representatives, but the actual resistance that is thankfully covered by IndyMedia and abroad.
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Please keep me informed about the progress of your investigation.
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Sincerely,
Dr. Denis Rancourt
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PS: A starting source could be "A Little Matter of Genocide: Holocaust and denial in the Americas 1492 to the present" by former professor Ward Churchill. Also, this award-winning Canadian video may nucleate your analysis: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-6637396204037343133
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PS2: I will take the liberty of putting various civil liberties and justice associations in cc.
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On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 10:05 AM, Chris Straw wrote:
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Dear Dr. Rancourt
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I regret to learn that you found our program ReVision Quest disrespectful and offensive. I have discussed your complaint with the senior producer of the program. The team that puts together ReVision Quest takes great care in crafting episodes that offer what they believe to be a balance of history, comedy, currency and insight into issues facing Aboriginal peoples. As you may or may not know, our production team on ReVision Quest consists primarily of programmers of First Nations decent and the majority of episodes are overseen by First Nations producers.
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Please be assured that we take all feedback seriously and do realize that comedy can be a treatment that not everyone will appreciate. In all cases we try to find the best treatment for the material we are examining. We may not always get it absolutely right, but we are always trying to present our ReVision Quest episodes with honesty and respect.
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Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion with us. .. It is also my responsibility to inform you that if you are not satisfied with this response, you may wish to submit the matter for review by the CBC Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman, an independent and impartial body reporting directly to the President, is responsible for evaluating program compliance with the CBC's journalistic policies. The Ombudsman may be reached by mail at the address shown below, or by fax at (416) 205-2825, or by e-mail at ombudsman@cbc.ca.
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Regards,

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Chris Straw Manager,
In-house Program Development
CBC Radio ..
604 787 6519 ..


---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: CBC Ombudsman
Date: Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Subject: Revision Quest feedback, disgusting colonialism

To: Denis Rancourt <>

Cc: Chris Straw, Jennifer Bailey
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Dear Dr. Rancourt:
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I write to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail. It is the customary practice of CBC’s Office of the Ombudsman to share complaints with the relevant programmers, who have the right to respond first to criticism of their work. I have therefore shared your e-mail with Chris Straw, Manager of In-House Program Development for CBC Radio. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you may ask me to review the matter.
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Sincerely,
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Vince Carlin
CBC Ombudsman ..


---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Denis Rancourt <>

Date: Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Subject: Revision Quest feedback, disgusting colonialism

To: ombudsman@cbc, liaison@radio-canada, marco.dube@cbc, angus.mckinnon@cbc, liaison@cbc

Cc: revisionquest@cbc

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To the CBC and those responsible for its programming:
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I just listened to the latest episode of Revision Quest on CBC radio.
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I am disgusted by this overtly racist program.
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Which other peoples in Canada would have its horrendous history as victims of genocide and colonialism minimized and ridiculed overtly on national radio?
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Please educate yourselves and stop being an arm of continuing disrespect and forced colonial integration.
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Cancel this abomination of a program immediately and replace it with the voices of resistors and grassroots opponents to puppet integration. Do Canada and human dignity a service. Call on the UN for expertize in this area if you can't find the local expert voices.
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Outraged,
Dr. Denis G. Rancourt
Former university professor and social justice activist
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[Photo credits: CBC; Vince Carlin, Ombudsman; CBC logo]

2 comments:

Denis Rancourt said...

A recent study reported in the media (e.g., Ottawa's METRO of July 22, 2009) and based on the most recent (2006) national census statistics finds that aboriginals account for 22% of inmates in Canada's jails, whereas aboriginals make up 3% of the Canadian population. In the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 80% of inmates are aboriginal whereas 11% of the provincial population is aboriginal.

Redescription: A Blog on Politics, Society and Media said...

Hi Denis. I just posted a piece on my blog: Public Broadcasting and Contemporary Colonialism in Canada: A Brief note on the CBC." http://www.smithpolitics.com/?p=65

"An academic in Nova Scotia has brought my attention to this CBC interactive website titled “Aboriginal Peoples: Mapping the Future ( http://tinyurl.com/6gsquwv ) which supposedly explains the meaning of the Crown’s treaties with First Nations. Currently, we do not know who did the content for the CBC, but the CBC [mis]-describes each numbered treaty as a land cessation. Even the government of Canada’s own comprehensive report, The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP), explicitly rejects this colonial “land cessation” view. This raises a larger question regarding the role of the CBC and public broadcasting in contemporary practices of colonialism in Canada.

RCAP for example states in their final report ( http://tinyurl.com/6fh4spa )

“Canada as a Fair and Enlightened Society

Canada enjoys a reputation as a special place – a place where human rights and dignity are guaranteed, where the rules of liberal democracy are respected, where diversity among peoples is celebrated. But this reputation represents, at best, a half-truth.

A careful reading of history shows that Canada was founded on a series of bargains with Aboriginal peoples – bargains this country has never fully honoured. Treaties between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal governments were agreements to share the land. They were replaced by policies intended to

…remove Aboriginal people from their homelands.

…suppress Aboriginal nations and their governments.

…undermine Aboriginal cultures.

…stifle Aboriginal identity.

It is now time to acknowledge the truth and begin to rebuild the relationship among peoples on the basis of honesty, mutual respect and fair sharing. The image of Canada in the world and at home demands no less.”