Evidence of meeting #24 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 fund.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
Yes, you are.
I'm thinking about how much the television industry in Canada has changed over the last decade, because of so many cable stations and the accessibility of so many different genres in television.
4:35 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
There are certainly more specialty channels, and there has been an increase in documentaries, but the budgets have gone down. The hourly budgets have gone down because of economics, and they can't pay as much.
It's been a source of concern for our producers who want to do one-off documentaries that really look at things in depth. They don't want to do lifestyle programming.
We don't really fund lifestyle programming. It's not in our mandate.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Thank you.
Good afternoon and welcome Ms. Jackson and Mr. Robichaud.
I have a chart here with the amounts that you received from Canadian Heritage. I would like you to confirm the number I am looking at, ie, $1,550,000. That is what you received last year. With that $1.5 million, you supported 68 projects.
This year, if I understood correctly, you are asking for $3 million from Canadian Heritage. Is that to increase the number of your projects, or only to maintain them?
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
Ms. Jackson told you that as of the last application deadline, we had received approximately 190 projects that met the criteria. Of those projects, 68 received funding. That is not to say that the other projects were not worthy.
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
Indeed, that gives you an idea of the number of projects we could fund. I think that basically answers your question. These are worthy projects.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Is this the first year you ask that contributions to the fund be increased?
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
No, we did ask before for an increase.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
For how long have you been requesting this? Judging by your skeptical look, I take it that it has been a long time. If the government, in its great wisdom, openness and understanding of educational film, decided to grant you the $3 million you requested, you would not be able to do other types of film using new technologies. You could not make all the material you have available on the Web, so that people can electronically consult the works you funded. Is that correct?
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
I have to specify, however, that we are not responsible for distribution, that is not our role. Our role is to support people who want to present an aspect of Canadian life to Canadians.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
But if those people want to do so using non-standard tools and formats, for example by using special film, could you help them?
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
That is exactly what we want to do. We want to get back into new media. Earlier, Robin spoke about cross platforms.
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
We already worked in the area of new media, and we would like to come back to it. We would also like to reconsider the full question of mentoring programs for young people, the directors and producers who are starting out, because that is also part of our philosophy. Those are things we used to do, but that we had to abandon owing to a lack of means.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Would the $3 million allow you to get back into mentoring and multimedia?
4:40 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
That would at least help us get a foot in the door, so to say. We could carry out such activities.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Were some of the projects that were submitted to you last year in multimedia? Did young producers apply for mentoring assistance?
4:45 p.m.
Co-Chair, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
I will let Robin answer. That is her responsibility.
4:45 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
In fact, I make a distinction between new media and multimedia. We received requests related to new media but not to multimedia. However, I do think that requests will be made.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
4:45 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
No, we decided into 2003, because of the cutbacks, to focus solely on film and video projects, and not on new media.
4:45 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
But we would like to get back to it.
