Radio Development in Canada

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 11, 25 September 1931, Page 8

Radio Development in Canada

Federal Control Given ue dispute between the Federal and Provincial Governments of Canada as to which shall control radio has been advanced a step toward finality, but has not yet been finally determined. arly in July the Supreme Court of Canada issued its judgment to the effect that control belonged to the Federal Gove.nment rather than to the Provincial Governments. Against this decision, however, the Province of Quebec is appealing to the Privy Council on its own behalf and that of certain other provinces which disputed ‘the jurisdiction claimed by the Dominion, and pending this: final legal adjudication the Federal Government has deferred announcement of its radio policy. In its decision the Supreme Court held that the Dominion had full jurisdiction over radio on the ground of "convenience amounting to necessity." The Dominion should, it was stated, be allowed a very wide control over trulsmission and the power to enter into agreements with other nations governing the allotment of wavelengths and the location of stations. The provinces, said the majority of the court, were not in a position to exercise control. In 1929 a Royal Commission was set up by the then Government to report upon the control of radio. tu this report the commission recom- ~ mended the taking over of all broad-’* casting equipment by the Federal Go. vernment, and the establishment of a chain of high-powered stations operated on a system similar to that of the British Broadcasting Corporation. All direct advertising was to be eliminated, and revenue obtained from a license fee of 3 dollars on receiving sets and a limited amount of indirect advertising by way of sponsored programmes. Strong opposition to this scheme immediately sprang up from the Province of Quebee and one or two other quarters. As the matter now stands the control of radio rests for the moment iu the Department of Marine, which has in force licenses for 64 broadcasting stations at 50 dollars each and something like half a million licenses for receiving sets at 1 dollar each. Two broadcasting plants belong to the Rrovince of Manitoba, three to the Canadian National Railways. and the ¥ mainder are privately owned and operated. Since the Royal Commission was appointed. there have been various changes of Government in Canada, and the attitude of the present Government toward the proposal is not known, and will not be revealed until the Privy Council has given its decision on the vital point of jurisdiction.