Senator Dagenais: CBC and Radio-Canada receive $1.3 billion a year from the federal government. That’s Canadian taxpayers’ money. Your government keeps talking about access to quality information in its rather futile and never-ending war with the web giants.

Rather than going after Meta and Google, could your Prime Minister first ensure that the CBC’s information mandate is respected and, more importantly, free?

Hon. Jean-Guy Dagenais: Honourable senators, I rise today to mark the passing of a great Canadian, astrophysicist Hubert Reeves, who died at the age of 91. His funeral was held yesterday in Paris. Born in the small town of Léry on the south shore of Montreal, Hubert Reeves was one of the most eloquent science popularizers out there, in my opinion.

Although astronomy and physics may not be everyone’s favourite topics, as soon as Hubert Reeves spoke, no matter the forum, his enthusiasm was irresistible. His educational descriptions of the cosmos brought science within the grasp of children and adults alike.

A researcher, professor and communicator, Hubert Reeves was one of the first to try to raise people’s awareness of the climate changes we are now facing. He was well ahead of his time. He had serious concerns about the state of planet Earth long before our present-day politicians.

Hubert Reeves wrote approximately 40 books, including Poussières d’étoiles, published in 1984, and helped produce numerous science-related television documentaries. He taught at the Université de Montréal and at other universities in the United States, Belgium and France. He also worked as a NASA consultant.

This Quebecer also served as Director of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. After settling in the small village of Malicorne, France, in the 1980s, Mr. Reeves returned regularly to Montreal to support then-radio host Louis-Paul Allard, who had set up the Fondation québécoise en environnement in 1987. I will point out that this was over 35 years ago.

How many of us were really concerned about environmental issues in the mid-1980s? Even back then, the small guy with the distinctive voice was talking, without being alarmist, about the dangers he saw coming. Reporting on the state of the environment, Hubert Reeves insisted that there was always room for optimism, as long as humans took good care of humanity.

Hubert Reeves was made a Companion of the Order of Canada and was awarded France’s Legion of Honour. Canada has lost one of its greatest scientists, who, in my view, deserves the title of climate action whistle-blower.

Thank you.

Hon. Jean-Guy Dagenais: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Over the years, CBC/Radio-Canada has considerably reduced the broadcasting time of newscasts and news specials on its basic channels to invest more in variety shows and television series. The primary mission of CBC/Radio-Canada is to give all Canadians access to a top-quality information service.

However, to follow recent events as they develop, such as the terrorist attack in Israel or even the returns for the provincial election in Manitoba, Quebecers need to have a cable subscription to have access to RDI’s 24-hour news cycle. This service should be free, just like the weather channel.

Can your government justify why Canadians do not have free access to CBC/Radio-Canada’s 24-hour news channels?