The CBC Ombudsman!

Mr. Kirk La Pointe
Ombudsman
CBC
P.O. Box 500, Station A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1E6
ombudsman@cbc.ca

Dear Mr. LaPointe:

To electronically contact a reporter for The People's Network to comment on something they may have said on air or perhaps provide a tip regarding wasteful government spending, the contributor must first tender the following information before being able to submit:

(1) name
(2) e-mail address
(3) surface address
(4) telephone number
(5) subject of comment/complaint

For reasons of spam abatement, an individual must successfully complete a nonsensical array of letters and numbers that at times can be difficult to decipher thereby occasionally necessitating a re-try the Ombudsman's webpage being a case in point. Further, since e-mail addresses of CBC reporters are not publicly available, a viewer/listener is required to go to a site with no assurances the intended person will receive the message or acknowledgement of its receipt. While Twitter addresses are provided the 140-character limitation imposes certain restrictions.

Finally, it is not unusual for a program such as Politics & Politics while on air to interrupt discussion to read a newly arrived text message from a Cabinet Minister or Member of Parliament.

Questions

(1) Is the requirement a contributor wishing to remain anonymous must first divulge personal information consistent with Canada's privacy laws and The Charter? What, if any, protections are in place?

(2) What is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's policy regarding the on air reading of Ministerial and/or Member of Parliament text messages?

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

Media Citizen Journalist
Blog Master
www.CyberSmokeBlog.blogspot.com

ombudsman@cbc.ca
notification@priv.gc.ca