The best argument for defunding the CBC is the basic moral principle that people should not be forced to fund things they disagree with. Even if the CBC were completely fair in its journalism and a fraction of the cost, it would still be wrong to make people fund it, because making people fund things they don’t want to support is simply wrong. Even if it had no impact on a free and competitive press, compelled support would still be immoral.
The reason the Conservatives don’t use this line of reasoning is obvious. If they did, they would have to abandon their entire political platform. Almost every government initiative, after all, involves forcing unwilling benefactors to fund things they don’t approve of.
But this is no reason to abandon the principle in favor of the platform. On the contrary, it’s a great reason to abandon the platform in favor of the principle.
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