Canadian Heritage committee  Obviously we have a view. What we would say is there are very many elements of the recent CRTC decision that we applaud, in the sense that they turned their minds to content in some ways that they hadn't in the past, for example, moving from an expectation to a condition of licence that 75% of programs of national interest be sourced from independent producers.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think what becomes important, to go back to the terms of trade discussion, is that no one in the independent production world is saying, we don't want you to have the content; they're saying, we just don't want you to abuse your dominant position. Effectively, it's no longer really independent, right?

Canadian Heritage committee  Who are you referring to, sir?

Canadian Heritage committee  Broadcasters are a very important part of this mix, absolutely. But I do think we could, and I think are.... Look at the Daniel Cook example that we mentioned here earlier. If we can take that culture of entrepreneurialism that exists among independent producers and free them to have that money to be able to create those jobs in Canada--of course, there have to be all those safeguards: it has to be made here, it has to use Canadian inputs--then, yes, I do believe that.

Canadian Heritage committee  That's not just one example. Particularly in areas like kids' programming, there is a demand for Canadian kids' programming around the world, but we can't sell this to Canadian broadcasters, and therefore those programs die and those jobs disappear.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much for that question. That's really the essential question we're grappling with, as an association. One of the things, quite frankly, we turned our minds to about a year ago was to consider how we could take Canada to the world. There are limits to the domestic market.

Canadian Heritage committee  Over time, the production businesses in Canada has matured and has become increasingly well established. Nevertheless, production companies must now deal with significant changes to their traditional business models. Long gone are the days when a producer could conceive of a program for a single exhibition window, and the days are also past when they could secure the necessary financing to produce that show by licensing the rights for a multitude of individual television broadcasters in Canada and abroad.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Thank you for taking the time to hear us this morning. The Canadian Film and Television Production Association, or CFTPA, welcomes the occasion to speak with you on the opportunities and challenges related to emerging and digital media.

Canadian Heritage committee  We have to remember that 90% of the traffic on the web is in English. We as a producing nation, as a production business, are very good at working with a full range of budgets. We have tremendous talent in this country. We can turn things around quickly and nimbly, and the price points are important in that market.

Canadian Heritage committee  The terms of trade, to put it in context for the committee, is a concept that evolved in Britain. If you think of the food chain that exists in our business, you have the cable companies, the BDUs, broadcasters, independent producers, unions, and guilds. Between the unions and guilds, you have a collective bargaining relationship that governs that relationship.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. Independent producers play a fundamental role in our broadcasting system. We provide Canadian television viewers with a Canadian perspective on our country, our world, and our place in it. We help foster Canadian cultural choices and reflect the rich diversity of this country.