File # [-390
March 22, 1976

Canadian Radio and Television Comnlsston
100 Metcalf Street,

Ttasa, Cntario
KjA ON2

Dear Sir,

t wish ta bring to your attention the text cf a resolution

ecopted ty Delta Municipal Counci!, ata meeting haid March
th, (976 c2aling with the proposal to delete advertising

from Television programmes originating in the United States
end carried by Canadian Cable Companies.

Celta is @ runicipality of 140 square milas with a sopul-

ation of 70,000, located in the southwost corner of Canada.

it ts tcunded on the west by the Georgia Stratts of: the Pacific
Ccean, on the north by the Fraser River, on the east by Surrey,
the largest municipality In the Commenwealth, and on the south

vy Boundary Bay and Point Roberts, Washington, U.S.A. It was
settled a ccatury ago from Vancouver |sland by British Immigrants

ang is now a residential corsunity twenty-five niles from
aantown Vancouver.

Celta bas sere unique Problems and advantages:-

{a} it consists of three separate urban comaunitles separated

by agriculturaj land and a peat bog;

{t) there Is no common medium of communication except ‘Delta 'ot,
% catle television outlet which serves the municipality
exclusively; the municipality is served by two Vanccuver
daily newspapers. two locatty lased weeklies; two other
weeklies and another daify, the circulations of all of which
co rot significantly overlap;
olja provices the fire alarm system for Point Roberts, Wash. ,
and has sareerents to provide emergency services to the Point;
the first television reception In Delts was received from
KYOS Bellingham (Channel 12) tong before the CBC or CTY arrived;
the driving time from East and much of North Delta to Bell Ingham
is less than to comtown Vancouver; considerable trade is

carried on as a result; attendance at Western State Col fege
frem Delta is signtficant.

veltats Municipal Counct! has examined the Canadian Cable Tetevision
Association's position paper concerning the deletion of commercials
fvert programmes emanating from the U.S.A. and Is writing

Phe el coe wl ae

to express Its opposition to this policy of the C.R.T.C.

thite we find the C.R.1.C.'s offer to judge which programmes Celta cit-
izens may watch to be patently oftensive in itself, Council is horrified
to fearn that the C.R.T.C. is conspiring to commit theft by conversion by
substituting announcements for the commercials included !1 the originator's
programmes,

Councl! 1s concerned that the obvious action of the p ogramre producers In
the U.S.A. to defend themselves against this blatant a sregard for inter-

national law could be to totally eliminate Canadian rec otion by electronic
Interference. ,

Council is concerned that the goodwill tt has strived for tn the past with
our American neighbours would suffer by the C.R.T.C.'s vexatious and
capricious actions. The citizens of Delta, unlike those of Ottawa, are
not Insulated from the U.5.A. by distance; our relationshlps are very

real and personal.

Council questions the purpose to be served by this arbitrary and frivoicus
policy. The three local broadcast stations are making lucrative incomes
from advertising. Is It the Intent of the C.R.T.C. to Increase the wealth
of these concerns?

Counci| has grave doubts that the advert'sing substitution precess would
directly or indirectly improve Canadlan television production.

Council ts concerned that notwithstanding efectronic "jarming" of Arerican
programming, the producers would also refuse to sell such pregrarmes to
Canadian outlets.

Council! is of the opinfon that the local television stations are saturated
with advertising. !4 questions where the time for additional advertising
would be found. -

Council points cut that T.V. reception, other than oy cable, is effectively
limited to two Vancouver stations and KVOS (Bellingham). Tre cranges in
deductibility of advertising expenses Incorporated in BI1I-&8 will cortine
with the deletion polley to make KVOS the first casualty. Hers, surety, is
an examp'e of cutting off the nose to spite the face! Parffament and

the C.R.T.C, in a well-intentioned but naive bid to keep the profits

(which amount to a smatl part of the income) out of the U.S.A. are pr -pared
to fet most of the Income, used to pay the salaries of KVOS' 130 Canadian
employees, its local and provincial taxes, the costs of Canadian gocds

and services, etc.” go down the drain!

Counch! strongly recommends that the C.R.T.C. desist from implement-
Ing its proposa! of comercial deletion.

Yeurs trl

Ibo wees

irns, A.C...
Municipal Clerk