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Opening remarks for Glenn O’Farrell

We are extremely honoured to have our special guests, board members, and former staff with us today, at the CAB’s new premises. As you know, we are dedicating the newly-completed CAB Main Boardroom to the three longest-serving presidents of this Association.

We’re delighted to see not only representatives of Jim Allard’s family here today – and I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Allard’s nephew, Norm MacDonald.  Norm, I understand that you worked at the CAB.  I also want to express a special welcome to Ernest Steele and his family including his daughter Elizabeth and granddaughter Nathalie, and my immediate predecessor Michael McCabe.

Norm MacDonald, Michael McCabe & Ernest Steele

Michael has travelled back to Ottawa from Southeast Asia – a very long way to come -- for his annual visit to Canada to catch up with family and friends. We are delighted that you could be here today for this special dedication.

Welcome as well to the CAB Chair, Charlotte Bell and the CAB Secretary, David Goldstein.  I should also single out the presence of The Honourable John D. Richard, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal.  In his former life at Gowling’s, he oversaw all of the CAB’s legal affairs – those were the days before the CAB had in-house lawyers. Welcome Chief Justice Richard.  And, of course, our own Michel Arpin, CRTC Vice-Chair, Broadcasting, but in a previous life, a CAB Chair, and for a short stint, he also served as CAB President. Welcome.

And, finally, a special welcome to all our guests, including past Chairs, Alain Gourd and Elmer Hildebrand  I know that many of you  here today have long friendships with our three honorees, as well as long serving CAB employees Michel Tremblay, Eva Gauthier, Gerry Acton and Jessie McLean.

Former emloyees Michel Tremblay, Eva Gauthier & Gerry Acton

Jessie McLean (former employee), Helen Acton, Michael Caine & Eva Gauthier

Each of the former CAB Presidents being recognized today was a distinguished and distinctive leader in Canada’s broadcasting industry, bringing in reforms and championing the cause of private broadcasting companies for a significant period in their careers.

About the Era of T. James Allard:

James Allard spent a quarter century heading CAB, from 1948 before we even had television service in this country – until 1973. And I was not surprised to see that in Jim’s history of the CAB, he summed up the first meeting in 1926 by saying: “The entire discussion centered upon copyright.”

Jim’s presidency tackled all the major issues of broadcasting, and paved the way to the broadcasting industry we live in today.  His contributions are so numerous that I’ll name just a few:

As radio began to mature as an industry, CAB battled to have the regulator-of-the-day allow “full commercial sponsorship” of newscasts.

For 10 years, Jim and the CAB advocated that the industry regulator be separate from the CBC. Finally, in 1958 as a result of the Fowler Commission, the Board of Broadcast Governors was created; soon after, the CAB pushed to open the FM frequencies for radio, and for the Governors to issue second TV licences in major cities.

Throughout all this, a great deal of the CAB’s work involved education: collaborating with the Board of Broadcast Governors to modify proposed regulations, educating the Parliamentary press gallery on the industry and helping create broadcasting courses at Ryerson, along with other training programs.

Jim also recognized and worked to promote the importance of increasing the voice of francophones within the Association and in 1965, CAB opened a Montreal office, working closely with the ACRTF regional association to serve francophone radio & TV stations. At that time, the CAB Ottawa office also created programming – Report from Parliament Hill – and later administered an exchange service for local programming.

About the Era of Ernest Steele:

Five years after Jim Allard left the CAB and, following the departure of his successor Dr. Pierre Camu, Ernest Steele (mostly referred to as Ernie) became President. It was 1978.

Canadian content regulations were putting broadcasters – in both radio and television – under a lot of pressure. CAB members were being asked to create or buy more. They were expected to feature more Canadian artists on radio or, on TV, devote more time and money to Canadian drama.

The whole subject of investment – in programming, the workforce and even infrastructure – grew very thorny during Ernest Steele’s years at the CAB, since the country was in a serious and lengthy recession.

But 1978 through 1985 was also a time of positive change and innovation. Cancom began providing satellite services to remote communities… the first ‘general’ pay-TV channels were launched, followed by the first ‘specialty’ pay TV services…the Broadcast Program Development Fund got its start… all of these spoke to future possibilities. Also, the recession gave way to a mini-boom in 1984, which revived optimism in Canadian society and what are broadcasters, ultimately, if not a social mirror?

About the Era of Michael McCabe:

Michael McCabe brought to the CAB expertise in communications and considerable experience in government.  

The CAB’s notes on its 80th Anniversary say that the era of Michael McCabe as President, from 1988 through to 2001, were, and I quote, “tumultuous”. If you’re wondering why – there were so many reasons, so much change. The conventional TV universe was trying to cope with successive waves of “fragmentation.” The basic cable tier had arrived in 1987 and such analog specialty channels as YTV, TSN, RDS, Newsworld, and MuchMusic began attracting audiences. By the millennium, some 60 specialty channels and pay TV services were fighting for market share in Canada.

On the government and regulatory front, Canada received a new Broadcasting Act in 1991 – only a few years before the entire communications landscape would morph into something completely different with the arrival of the Internet.

But Michael replied with a powerful vision. He drafted the five-year Taking The Lead strategy for the CAB, which led a few years later to Taking The Lead II and Future Plan.

And he saw the need for broadcasters to help build strong Canadian communities. Another major initiative under Michael’s direction was On-Air For Canada, a national PSA campaign aimed at building a more tolerant society. And the cooperative spirit spread through the communications industries: the Association fostered closer relationships with the cable and music industries and, in 1998, launched the annual Canadian Radio Music Awards.

The public was also applauding: the CAB’s groundbreaking codes on violence, children’s programming, sex-role stereotyping and portrayal of minorities were well-received. Audiences could air their programming concerns with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, which CAB launched in 1990, the first organization of its type in North America.

It’s hard to think of any areas of the industry that you left untouched, Michael! And there’s so much more we could say – the victories in the 1999 Television Policy, the amalgamation with the Specialty and Pay TV association, and the wild ride to the decision on the Tier 1 digital specialty channels, too. 

Congratulations on so many achievements, to all three of these CAB leaders.

But I know Elmer Hildebrand, a man who has known or worked with all three of our honorees, would like to say a few words.

Remarks by Elmer Hildebrand

Great to be here and to help the CAB say thanks to three pioneers - Jim Allard, Ernie Steele, and Michael McCabe All were knee-deep in copyright during their tenure. Jim Allard was a hard-nosed leader whose ‘no nonsense’ style was what the CAB needed at the time. His advocacy for separation from the CBC as broadcast regulator was most important. Jim worked with the early pioneers of our industry at a time when our industry was starting to expand and see new players enter the business. Ernie Steele was our leader during the first changing of the guard – and the era of contour regulations and the emergence of FM as a full broadcast companion and then a leader – plus the new emerging partners – pay and specialty.

Glenn O'Farrell & Elmer Hildebrand

Michael McCabe was absolutely the right man for the times – as broadcasting started to really expand – not only with new licences – we consolidated as well. Under Michael’s leadership we developed a real Strategic Plan and Vision – something that served us very well as the industry both fragmented and matured.

None of our Presidents ever had the myriad of connections and behind the scenes influence that Michael had – and it is safe to say – he led our Association during our industry’s greatest steps forward.

While the industry was growing and changing – from analog to digital – the one constant through all three Presidents – COPYRIGHT – kept them and the CAB staff occupied almost day and night.  Even though we could ultimately not turn back the ‘tsunami’ of copyright entitlements – it is my opinion that during Michael’s time we certainly DELAYED the inevitable for many years.

Michael has enough sheer electrical current running through him to power more than one person, and like Sir. John A Macdonald, who reckoned that FORCE OF WILL overcame ALL the obstacles standing between his desire for a Canadian railroad and its realization, Michael brought new members with divergent interest together at the CAB.

They were tumultuous years – BUT ALSO GREAT YEARS – and we owe you our thanks!

Michael – you were a great leader for our industry – and you accomplished more for us than more broadcasters realize. You always had equal time for the small broadcasters like Red Hughes from Portage or the Slaights from Toronto. You understood our business.

Thank you on behalf of all broadcasters – and thanks for being a friend as well!

Closing Remarks for CAB Chair Charlotte Bell

Des moments comme celui-ci me rappellent les raisons pour lesquelles je m’implique depuis si longtemps dans les activités de l’ACR. Listening to the tributes to these three men leads me to conclude that Canada’s private broadcasters are in good hands now because of the hard work, dedication and vision that Jim Allard, Ernest Steele and Michael McCabe brought to work with them each day at the Association.

Like you, Glenn, I’m not surprised that the first meeting in 1926 was all about copyright! And like everyone here, I expect, I take great pleasure in helping to celebrate the progress the Association has made over the years in promoting broadcasters’ interests on copyright, on regulation, on relations with government and with advertisers, and especially with the many diverse and unique expectations of our audience members.

We’ve heard a lot about the accomplishments, the challenges and triumphs of this trio, and how they laid the groundwork for today’s dynamic and accomplished Association. It’s a history lesson I appreciate, as do all the members of the CAB Board of Directors. Which is why we agreed to dedicate this boardroom, in the CAB’s new home, as the Allard – Steele – McCabe Boardroom.

We thank our guests of honour for their important contribution and we were delighted all of you could attend and participate in this very special event.