Multilingualism and the CBC Mandate: An Example of Ineffectual Regulation

The control of broadcasting, more than any other field subjected to regulation, demands, by its very nature, political neutrality. Given that control is deemed necessary,1 almost total delegation of that control must be made to an independent tribunal in order to avoid charges of political interference with the freedoms of speech and expression. The presence of the CBC as apublic corporation, however, raises questions as to the source and substance of the CBC mandate. What body is responsible for creating the goals or objects of this corporation? Who bears the responsibility initially to interpret and shape programming to meet these goals? And who acts as the regulator to ensure that existing programming meets the demands of that mandate as it should properly be interpreted?