To the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC); Whereas the CBC\'s funding has declined by 33% since 1990 and Whereas the CBC currently receives 1/3 to 1/4 of the funding received by the BBC - while being required to cover a larger geographical area in multiple languages and Whereas while the CBC\'s funding has dwindled, the cost of doing business has steadily gone up - not only in terms of inflation but in terms of technology and the competitive market for viewers and listeners and Whereas accurate, balanced, informative news and current affairs programming is perhaps more important now than at any point in human history and Whereas in a global media marketplace the Canadian voice in terms of arts and culture is at risk of being drowned out, even within Canada and in recognition of the love and respect Canadians have for the CBC as a source of information and entertainment as well as a national treasure, a historic record keeper and a cultural institution, We, the undersigned urge the members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the Prime Minister of Canada and the larger Parliament to immediately and permanently double the annual funding received by the CBC from the Government and taxpayers of Canada and to include provisions that will see this funding rise with the rate of inflation.