Editorials - May 9, 2025

Last week was a rough one for public broadcasting in the United States. On Monday, President Trump asserted that he was removing three of the five directors on the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), resulting in the Corporation suing Trump on Tuesday, citing federal law and a Supreme Court ruling that he doesn’t have the authority to do so. Then, in the middle of the night on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order directing CPB to cease funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), accusing the news organizations of promoting “a woke, radical agenda”.

 

Many countries worldwide have public broadcasting services, which are media organizations funded by the government or other non-commercial sources, and operate for the benefit of society rather than profit, including Canada with the CBC/Radio Canada. Both NPR and PBS are in a unique position to provide all Americans with access to education programming, the arts, culture and independent journalism.

 

Trump views any news source that doesn’t trumpet his praises as an enemy. The United States needs independent news now more than ever, and citizens need to be encouraged in critical thinking and to broaden their viewpoints both nationally and globally.

 

Public broadcasters are integral to developed, democratic nations and should be treated as a treasure, not a threat. – DS

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. Or so the saying goes. Stick-with-it-ness, perseverance, dedication and learning from your shortcomings in an attempt not to make the same mistake twice are all admirable traits in a leader. Being able to teach the young by example as they navigate this tough, unforgiving world is worth its weight in gold. Kudos to Pierre Poilievre for not taking no for an answer in this year’s federal election. Unelected? You might want to check again, pal.

 

The Conservative Party leader issued a thanks-but-no-thanks notice to Damien Kurek and his Alberta riding, which he won in a landslide, so Poilievre could “earn” a spot in the House of Commons and stay on as the party leader. Now, Canadians will pony up more than $1 million, some say, for a by-election that will alter the results of last month’s election to ensure that Poilievre isn’t forced into finding a real job. 

 

It is political games like this that voters loathe. Wasting money to earn votes, all while the work of running the country is in an extremely serious place, is frivolous. This comes at a time when every Canadian penny is being pinched and, frankly, Poilievre lost his riding fair and square. He once Tweeted, “In the real world, if you don’t do your job you lose it.” Well, he didn’t do his job and now, to avoid losing it, he’ll be pathetically parachuted into the most sure-thing riding there is in Canada to keep his station in life. What was that about the real world?

 

As newly-elected Prime Minister Mark Carney begins the work of Parliament at this crucial time in history, many are uniting behind him, knowing that Canada is at its best when we work together. That work should not be undermined by failed politicians sneaking back in after being voted out or insolent premiers working to tear at the fabric of a nation rather than bolster it. The country needs work and it faces outside threats. A threat from within is the last thing we need. – SL 

At 71 years old, Yvette Ferguson became the oldest person in history to be set ablaze on camera. The former stuntwoman came out of retirement to perform a full-body burn in the Vancouver-shot Final Destination: Bloodlines, a major production that employed hundreds of Canadians, pushed technical boundaries and broke cinematic records.

 

It’s precisely the kind of ambitious film that may never shoot here again if Donald Trump follows through on his latest threat: a 100 per cent tariff on foreign-made movies. The U.S. president has claimed that films produced outside America pose a national security risk and has instructed trade officials to begin levying massive penalties. 

 

Projects like Final Destination: Bloodlines, which poured enormous resources into Canadian crews, effects teams and infrastructure, would be far less likely to land here if the cost of entering the U.S. market doubled overnight. Trump’s rhetoric may be bluster, but the risk is real. Canada must respond with clarity and urgency, not ambiguity and delay.

 

We also shouldn’t overlook what Ferguson’s fiery return to screen represents. In a society that too often sidelines older citizens, her record-breaking stunt is a vivid reminder that seniors continue to contribute extraordinary value to our culture and economy. Whether set on fire on sets, in classrooms, in hospitals, or at home, older Canadians remain an integral part of our human story. We ignore their potential at our peril.

 

As trade threats loom and cultural industries hang in the balance, Canada must assert the worth of its film sector, not just in GDP, but in talent, storytelling and jobs for all generations. Our nation has the capacity to light up the screen. Let’s not let anyone snuff that out. – SBS