Looking Ahead to Television

for other nations, there should be in Canada: (1) a nationally—owned radio system controlling its own radio stations throughout the country and whatever networks it may deem desirable to fulfill its expressed obligations and (2) a system of independently-owned community stations throughout the country.”

The early pioneer broadcasters were highly service oriented and examples cited of public service performed by the private stations in Canada occupied 28 closely printed pages. They also recommended a Radio Board of Appeal and that hearings before such a board would be public hearings.

At that time, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation had regulatory control over private stations in Canada as well as running their own orga— nization and that was deemed to be unfair. “We submit that no govern- ment, with any claim to being democratic, combines in one body the legislative, executive, judicial and police powers.”

No one knew better than my father of the long years of community involvement, the financial struggle to survive and the dedication, deter- mination and plain hard work of the private broadcaster and the will to put all this before the Canadian government and the people of Canada occupied his mind.

Those presenting the brief included Guy Herbert of Toronto, Tiny Elphicke, Vancouver, Narcisse Thivierge of Quebec City, Jack Beardall of Chatham, G.R.A. Rice, President of the Western Association of Broadcasters, Phil Lalonde, Montreal, A. Gauthier, Sherbrooke, F.C. Colborne and Keith Rogers, President, Maritime Association of Broadcasters. In the ensuing years the Canadian Association of Broadcasters became firmly committed to having a separate regulatory body and this necessitated many hours spent on planning. Appearing before the Massey Commission and parliamentary committees on broad- casting became of paramount importance and Ottawa became the centre of my father’s attention.

While heretofore other parliamentary committees had been harsh and inquisitorial to those appearing before them, the members of the Massey Commission were courteous. All who wished to appear were given equal opportunity to express themselves in an open atmosphere. But rather than solving the disputes ingrained in the system, the report of this commission only tended to fuel the fire raging around broad- casting. The government continued to hold committee hearings into broadcasting in 1950, 1951, and 1953 and throughout, the argument

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