OTTAWA, ON, October 22, 1992

STATEMENT:

The Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations will not appear before the scheduled renewal of the Senate Sub-Committee hearings examining the CBC's war series The Valour and the Horror.

"We consider that the only valid procedure for examination of broadcast programming is the CBC Ombudsman, and if necessary, the CRTC. Therefore, we have advised the Senate Sub-Committee that we shall not appear in accordance with an ultimatum to advise one way or the other by October 23rd," Cliff Chadderton, Chairman of National Council of Veteran Associations and Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps stated.

Chadderton said further: "We consider that the only proper agencies which can review broadcast programming in Canada are those mandated wither by CBC regulations or by the Broadcasting Act itself."

This decision was communicated by Chadderton today in a general letter to all Senators. The letter expressed concern that the Senate hearings may be prejudicial to the studies now ongoing by both the CBC Ombudsman and the CRTC.

"There is a distinct possibility, from our viewpoint, that the media's legitimate objections to the Senate examinations may well detract from the criticisms we have communicated to the CBC and the CRTC, based on extensive historical research," Chadderton said.

"We see the danger that the controversy over the series produced by Galafilms and financed by the CBC, NFB and Telefilm Canada could become a "political football," he added.

He suggested that, instead, the Senate should allow the government-appointed institutions to review the series in an impartial and professional manner, as required by the terms of reference of the CBC Ombudsman and by the Broadcasting Act.

Chadderton's letter to the Senators also questioned whether the Senate Sub-Committee had a mandate to review the series.

"According to our information, which has been confirmed by Senator Royce Frith, Official Leader of the Liberal Opposition in the Senate in a letter to us, dated September 28th, 1992, authority for the Senate Sub-Committee was not authorized by the Senate," Chadderton said.

He was referring to the initial meeting of the Senate Sub-Committee on June 25th of this year, when Senator Frith released a statement that the Liberal Senators were, in effect, boycotting the examination, as they did not feel that it was a proper exercise of the powers of the Senate.