OTTAWA–They are professional journalists. They give voice to terrorists. They are vital to democracy. They suppress it. They are Al Jazeera English and they are hoping to come to a television near you.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission received public comments that varied from strongly in favour to outrageously against an application to allow the Qatar-based broadcaster to air in the country.

"At a time when Canadian newspapers and broadcasters are reducing coverage of foreign news, it is even more critical that Canadians can easily access coverage of international news and events," wrote the Arab Canadian Association of the Atlantic Provinces in a favourable comment.

"Al-Jazeera has broadcast pre-recorded videos or interviews with extremists, who proclaim that Jews are pigs born of monkeys, that Christians in the Muslim world are the fruit of the Crusades and must be punished and that violent jihad is the path to paradise," wrote Madeleine El-sayegh of Nepean, Ont., in a comment explaining her opposition to the application sponsored by Toronto-based carrier Ethnic Channels Group Ltd.

Tony Burman, a former CBC news executive who became managing director of Al Jazeera English two years ago, said he is buoyed by the fact there have been far more positive comments than negative.

"Contrary to what people would have predicted, the overwhelming sentiment was in favour of Al Jazeera English being in Canada," said Burman. He said out of 2,652 public comments submitted to the CRTC, there were only 39 that could be described as against bringing the broadcaster to Canada.

A CRTC spokesperson said the commission does not categorize comments into for or against but glancing at the website where they are available it's evident the majority of them are in favour of bringing Al Jazeera English to Canada.

Burman described the comments from those opposed as having much more to do with the controversial record of its sister station, Al Jazeera Arabic, which he called "irrelevant" because editorial staff at the English-language service operate independently.

The Canadian Jewish Congress did not come out against the application, but expressed concerns about the link to the Arabic-language service – which, the association notes, has been known to broadcast Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic views – and the independence of Al Jazeera English given that the Qatar government owns both stations.

Bernie Farber, head of the CJC, said Burman alleviated some of its fears when he proposed a consultation committee, made up of the CJC and B'nai Brith Canada, to serve as a conduit for immediate complaints. "That brought us some lessening of our angst, but we still remain concerned and vigilant," Farber said in an interview.

The CRTC has not released a date for its decision but Burman said if all goes well, he expects Al Jazeera English to be available in Canada by the fall, when it would then set up a bureau here. "We're currently in discussions with various cable and satellite providers. ... Most of them have been quite clear there is no question they want to include Al Jazeera English," Burman said.