Evidence of meeting #55 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was films.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
No. The submission that came from a former president of the CBC said that the private broadcasters should do what they do best, which is to be broadcasters that compete with their American cousins to the south. CBC should be the focus of virtually all the government funding that's available to ensure that there is a robust public broadcaster.
Of course it also made the suggestion that CBC get out of the whole issue of broadcasting hockey through Hockey Night in Canada. I'd be interested to hear your comments on that. That's also controversial.
10:30 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
It is controversial. If they replaced Hockey Night in Canada with Movie Night in Canada, I think we'd be very pleased.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Let's talk about advertising.
CBC relies more and more on commercial advertising revenues for its survival. There have been two divergent views at this table from the witnesses we've heard. Some have suggested that CBC get out of the advertising business altogether and become more like its radio branch--that is, with very little, if any, advertising. There are those who suggest that commercial advertising revenues are essential for CBC to survive and that in fact if there is more government funding made available it should top up the advertising revenues, not replace the advertising revenues.
Do you have any comments?
10:30 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
I haven't considered this very much. My instinct is that you want to tread very carefully in this area. The CBC would appear to be very cash-strapped most of the time. If you were to eliminate a significant source of revenue, without having a serious plan to replace it and a serious plan to mandate them to do a certain kind of programming....
I understand the argument. I understand why the private broadcasters might feel that way. We're agnostic on this issue. It's not an issue for CAFDE members.
I think you don't want to weaken the public broadcasters. You want to certainly renew their mandate going forward, and we believe that part of that should be for feature film and part of that should be a strong commitment to drama. Both of those things are very expensive. So if the government is going to open the purse strings to make up the difference, I'm not sure it would make that much difference to the film distributors or the film industry, generally.
What would worry me is that the net result would be less money for the CBC to spend and therefore less commitment to drama and less commitment to feature film.
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
Thank you.
I'd like to ask you about the impact. We've heard a lot from presenters about the statistics from this study by the Nordicity Group and the declining financial commitment in Canada to the development of Canadian content, and in particular, drama.
Can you talk about what the landscape has been like in the last ten years? You'd mentioned 2000. Are there particular markers that had a significant negative impact on the development of drama in Canada?
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
We're not at the front lines of that issue. I would say, generally, that it concerns us, because television drama is very clearly linked to feature film. There's a commonality of talent. A lot of producers who work in television drama work or have ambitions in feature film. It's the same with actors and writers. So any decrease in drama is going to have a negative impact on feature films. You're going to have writers of some experience who abandon Canada to move to the States. You will have up-and-coming writers who determine that it's too difficult to make a living here, and they will go to Los Angeles from the get-go. And that's very much of concern to us.
One thing we've made clear in our presentations here on the feature film review is that we think development of feature films, an investment in writing, a wider variety of genres, and a wider variety of voices are necessary, and any erosion of that on the television side is going to hurt the feature film industry.
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
I'm going to go back to my initial question, because I guess I don't understand what it is.... You talked about the CBC in the past typically wanting first window broadcast, and more in the sense of an MOW, in terms of production for—
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
Well, those are two different issues. The MOW issue is ten years old. I don't think it exists.
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
So in terms of the CBC currently and its relationship with filmmakers, do you seen an understanding right now that the relationship works and is beneficial for independent filmmakers?
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
Well, currently, the CBC doesn't have a strong or consistent approach to feature film that we've seen.
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
Okay, so there was a problem, and now there's no strong and consistent approach, typically?
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
If you could improve on that, could I ask you for a recommendation?
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
Well, we think that $30 million over five years—which is what they promised in 2000—is a nice starting point. I think a dedicated slot for a feature film would be useful.
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
And the promotion of films they're not necessarily broadcasting would be helpful as well.
10:35 a.m.
Liberal
10:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Association of Film Distributors & Exporters
Promotion during the theatrical release. They're promoting films that are having a theatrical release; for example, Away from Her was being promoted on the CBC this week in aid of its theatrical release. That would be very useful.
