~ 29 ~

Monday, September 1st Vancouver, BC

Helen Murphy had been with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for seventeen years. After their children were of school age, she returned to the University and completed her studies. Richard, her husband, had always shared in the raising of their boys, and maintaining the household – which enabled Helen’s return, first to school and then to the workplace. Following graduation, she had secured an entry level position with a small Canadian publishing firm and, after a few years, she’d caught wind of a position opening at the local CBC office.

Having grown up absorbing everything CBC offered its viewing public, her affection for the company was obvious to all. She rose through the ranks the hard way – by working long hours. She’d been at Corporate Headquarters in Toronto for several years when she was tapped for the position of Vice-President, Bureau Chief for Western Canada.

She and Richard decided this would be a good time for him to retire from his technical consulting practice, and come to Vancouver with her. He would take care of the daily living requirements while Helen focused on her new position.

They’d adapted easily to the west coast lifestyle, with one exception. Helen couldn’t bring herself to dress casually at the office; she continued to portray the professional corporate style of Toronto. Once, when her secretary had carefully kidded her about relaxing a bit and perhaps wearing something more comfortable, she had responded, “These are my comfortable clothes.” They were, and she kept wearing them.

The bulk of her job was administrative. She was responsible for all of the regional offices and local affiliates of the CBC family located north of the U.S. border and between Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Pacific Ocean. Though her staff included editors-in-chief and technical directors scattered throughout the region, she would occasionally use the authority of her position to assign a regional office to follow a particular story. In the Vancouver facility, she looked at everything - from the CP wires to the tapes in the editing rooms. Helen would never relinquish the hands-on part of her work. Occasionally, she would travel to the regional offices. Management by walking around, she’d heard it called, and she liked it.

Helen was able to spot real talent. During a visit to the Regina office, she had been introduced to Brian Edwards, a correspondent that had been with CBC for a few years. Within a few months of that visit, she promoted him to Senior Correspondent for the Western Bureau, and moved him to Vancouver.

It was pure luck that Brian was in Regina when the Referendum story broke. He had done a great job on the warship sinking so she had sent him to the Capital of Saskatchewan to begin a series on the drought rescue efforts. Because of his earlier connections, Brian had the paths of access already established. Now it was a matter of filtering the information.

They agreed that the only way to present this was to do what CBC was known for. They would remain balanced, neither for or against, and to let the people, and history, decide which path would be best.

Helen turned on her monitor to watch the start-up:

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CBC Special: The American Option

Good Evening. I’m Brian Edwards. Tonight’s special will be looking at many issues.

Many people have expressed a concern over Health Care. Currently, it is provided and managed by the Provincial government. We have learned that in anticipation of a ‘Yes’ vote, several American firms have begun negotiations with the Province to buy the medical facilities, and to hire the physicians and staff. We have also learned that for the first three years, all private health insurance premiums will be paid for by the U.S. government. As business and industry grows, health coverage is generally part of the compensation package - and it will always be possible for other individuals to pay monthly premiums on health insurance, just like they do now into the Saskatchewan Health Care Plan.

Another issue of concern is trade. With a U.S. State in the middle of Canada, products leaving eastern Canada travelling to western Canada will have to leave the country, and then re-enter Canada. Apparently, all cargo to and from the provinces that would border the state would travel under ‘sealed bond’ – to avoid customs issues. Products that now originate in Saskatchewan will most likely head south as part of the U.S. market economy…

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Helen flipped the monitor off. She’d reviewed the broadcast with him earlier, and it had launched without difficulty. They’d all had a few weeks to absorb what was happening, and the real possibility of a Yes vote.

More and more she was cherishing her time away from the office. The Canadian Press wires had shown increasing difficulties and tensions permeating through every aspect in that province. The wire that told of the tens of thousands of horses that had died, because of the drought, really bothered her. She also knew that people were dying and that was always an important story, but for now she had issued the directive that suicide totals were not to be combined and released. Efforts were ongoing from all over Canada, but it just wasn’t enough. “If becoming a State would keep those people alive, then by God, I’ll lead the parade,” she muttered. She knew that Statehood was no magic wand, but they could offer resources, which meant hope, and right now, everybody could use some of that.