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Canada's Tory government is using clauses hidden away in Bill C10, an omnibus piece of legislation tweaking the Income Tax Act, to set itself up as the arbiter of which films and TV programs made in Canada are offensive, or not in the public interest. If C10 passes, the Heritage Minister will develop guidelines to deny tax credits (a key part of film and TV financing in Canada) to shows that step over the line--and it's anyone's guess how the Tories will define 'decency', 'obscenity', or 'contrary to public policy'.
Will films subversive of Christianity be funded (Jesus of Montreal)? Films with teen violence (New Waterford Girl)? Films with incest (The Sweet Hereafter)? Films with explicit sex (Crash)? Films with -- gasp -- gay themes (The Hanging Garden, etc., etc.)? Films with necrophilia (Kissed)? Films with threesomes (Where the Truth Lies)? Once the Tories pass this legislation, it'll be their administrative decision.
The Tories' evangelical base is celebrating the new legislation as a victory: the Globe and Mail reports that "Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, said his lobbying efforts included discussions with Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, and 'numerous' meetings with officials in the Prime Minister's Office. 'We're thankful that someone's finally listening,' he said yesterday. 'It's fitting with conservative values, and I think that's why Canadians voted for a Conservative government.' 'There are a number of Conservative backbench members that do a lot of this work behind the scenes,' he said."
Right.
What's more, most films and TV programs apply for tax credits late in the game, after scripts have been written and principal photography completed. They use the predictability of tax credits to apply for federal subsidies, loans, and Telefilm Canada grants. With the proposed new guidelines, films and TV programs with even a whiff of controversy will become risky for funders, and artists will be under strong pressure to self-censor.
Please join this group, encourage people you know to join, and WRITE LETTERS to Senators, MPs, party leaders, the Minister of Heritage, and others. You'll find contact info and sample letters below.
It would also be great if you would share your own letters on the Discussion Board, post links to relevant articles under Posted Items, and use the Wall to state your views (no flame wars, please).
Bill C10 is currently in Third Reading, which is to say that there's little time to mobilize on this. Please do what you can.
For more info, see:
Canada tax credits: strings attached (The Hollywood Reporter): http://www.hollywoodreport
Evangelist takes credit for film crackdown (Globe and Mail): http://www.theglobeandmail
Tories plan to withhold funding for 'offensive' productions (Globe and Mail): http://www.theglobeandmail
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Hi there,
More than 1000 people have joined this Facebook group in opposition to Bill C-10 in its first day! Please check back for news, refer your friends and networks to this Group, and keep the ball rolling.
Most importantly, though, please fire off letters, even very brief ones, expressing your opposition. Addressees could include:
* The Prime Minister: pm@pm.gc.ca
* Leaders of opposition parties:
Stephane Dion: DionS@parl.gc.ca
Jack Layton: Layton.J@parl.gc.ca
Gilles Duceppe: Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca
* Your local MP: http://canada.gc.ca/direct
* The Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO): cavco_bcpac@pch.gc.ca
* Letters to the Editor of national and local newspapers; TV and radio newsrooms; etc.
Thank you.
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Posts
3 comments:
Ah, the good old days. When we could poke fun at the States' problems with religious nuts, because they didn't seem to exist here. And while I'm not opposed to giving them a voice, they're a tiny minority (as most shit disturbers often are!) with disproportionate power. Do yourselves a favour, people, and vote Liberal in the next federal election. Or as I like to surmise it: one dude has a Husky named Kyoto, and the other once called global warming a "socialist scheme."
And while I'm on a tangent, this is why people like Richard Dawkins contend that atheists need to be more active in their own communities. Many glibly point out that, oh-ho-ho, atheism is becoming a religion or cult of its own! But is it wrong for secularists (which can include people of any religious denomination, frankly) to fight back and reclaim some of the proverbial land lost to religious tyrants who made them feel like heretics if they fought back?
It's true that these bullying fools need to be kept in check lest they trample all over the basic rights which we've had to work very hard as a species to work into the fabric of our society. The whole "atheists are another cult" thing is some real fischer price debating, which isn't really worth attending to.
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