Evidence of meeting #26 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.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I'm going to call the meeting to order, this being the 26th meeting of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), a follow-up of the Canadian feature film industry study.
We have with us today Jean-François Bernier and Jean-Pierre Gauthier.
Welcome, gentlemen. I know you have a small presentation, Jean-François. Please go ahead.
3:35 p.m.
Jean-François Bernier Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The purpose of our presentation is to provide committee members with an update on the actions taken by the department since the tabling of the government's response to the Advisory Committee's report on feature film. We have handed out a copy of our presentation.
I would ask you to turn to page 3, which gives some background to committee members who might be less familiar with the Canadian Feature Film Policy, which the committee reviewed last year.
In 2000, there was the launch of the new Feature Film Policy, which was evaluated by the department in 2005. Shortly thereafter, the standing committee, in the previous Parliament, tabled its report on the evaluation of the policy. In June 2006, the standing committee retabled its report and requested a government response. At the end of September 2006—about two months ago—the government then responded to the committee's report.
The government indicated that it had two primary objectives for feature film, i.e., to reach larger audiences and ensure efficient, transparent and responsible use of public funds.
I do not want to go into all the items contained in the government's response. However, I do want to highlight the two primary themes of the response.
The first theme involves enhancing the Canadian Feature Film Policy, and the second consists in aligning the audiovisual policy tool kit.
One of the key elements of the government's response with regard to the first theme, which is to enhance the Canadian Feature Film Policy, was to recognize for the first time—and I do want to underscore this because it is quite important for feature film—that there would be tailored approaches and strategies specific to each of Canada's two language markets. This is something the government has recognized from the outset in its response.
The second element in enhancing the Canadian Feature Film Policy is to improve the performance measurement of the various components in the integrated feature film policy.
Later in our presentation, we will address a series of recommendations that basically deal with the second theme, that is how to improve and better align the audiovisual policy tool kit.
The government tabled its response at the end of September. Some 60 days later, the department acted on certain commitments. After giving you a few details, I will answer your questions.
We have an action plan for a number of commitments. I would also like to draw to your attention that the follow-up to modernize our Canadian Feature Film Policy can be found in the department's Report on Plans and Priorities.
On page 5 we have “Enhancing the Canadian Feature Film Policy”. As I mentioned, the government announced for the first time that there will be two distinct approaches to Canada's two film markets. So we're working at developing long-term solutions to increase the diversity of financing sources for feature films. Last October—and I think you were privy to a presentation by Telefilm last week—Telefilm made some technical changes to the Feature Film Fund, and those changes are in fact developing along these main thrusts of different strategies for different linguistic markets.
On enhancing the Canadian feature film policy, the committee had raised, and our own evaluation had raised, that we need to refine our targets and our indicators in line with the different approaches. In the past we had one national objective, which was the 5% objective for feature film. Now we're working on trying to develop a specific target for French language feature films and a specific target for English language feature films.
On page 6, we heard the committee looked at our evaluation and the government agreed that indeed there was more to measuring success in the feature film industry than the pure box office indicators. We are working on developing targets and indicators in the emerging markets, DVDs and pay-per-view, and at what the new technologies are going to allow us for feature films in the future. The challenge here is to find valid and reliable sources of data to be able to make complete and in-depth analyses of the various markets in the feature film life cycle.
We are also working on performance targets for all parts of the feature film policy. In particular, in the area of professional development and preservation, we had objectives, but our targets were not as clear as we would have liked. We're going to be working on that in the next few months. In fact, we've started a working group with our partners to establish exactly what the targets and performance indicators are in that sector.
In the area of training and professional development, in addition to establishing performance indicators, we will conduct an evaluation of our training assistance program by next fall.
Finally, the committee had issued recommendations concerning long form documentaries. The government indicated that, in fact, long form documentaries should qualified just like all feature films under the Canada Feature Film Fund. It is up to Telefilm to determine the most appropriate way to integrate long form documentaries into the Canada Feature Film Fund.
The second broad theme was aligning the audiovisual policy tool kit. There are a few elements here that I would like to bring your attention to.
The department is working on the centralization of the certification of Canadian content. This is included in the reports on plans and priorities of the department. We are well advanced with that project. Our reports on plans and priorities also indicate that we are working at reviewing and modernizing the Telefilm Canada Act and the National Film Act.
Finally, we are developing a new framework in the area of international audiovisual co-productions. We have treaties with many countries around the world, and we need to strengthen the framework under which those treaties are being considered and are operating.
And finally, but not least, the Canadian film or video production tax credit, the tax credit for certified production, which was announced in 1995, will be the subject of an evaluation. In fact, we are about to post on the website of the department, through the MERX system, a request for proposals to proceed with the evaluation of that very important tool in the tool kit.
The committee will know that the government has asked the CRTC to report on the impacts of technological changes on the Canadian broadcasting system, so the CRTC is to report back to the Governor in Council on the 14th of December. You may have seen on the nightly news that the CRTC has indeed started hearings on the over-the-air television policy. They started that last week.
Mr. Chair, I didn't want to take too much time on the presentation. We would be happy to answer any questions the committee members might have.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Thank, Mr. Chairman.
Before asking questions of our two witnesses, I would like to raise two small items, in the interest of committee members. If these are not relevant, I am sure that you will call me to order.
First of all, the clerk sent us notifications of appointment that we must confirm or reject within a given timeframe. Might I suggest that when we receive notifications of appointment, we also receive the individual's resume? That way we could avoid duplicating steps and make it easier to decide wether or not we want to meet those people.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I was talking to the clerk, and he said there might be a little delay, but yes, it could be done.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Thank you.
The second point, Mr. Chairman, is vis-à-vis the hearings we will be starting on Wednesday. I don't know what the will of the committee might be, and I don't know if it's appropriate to bring this up at this point, or when it would be if not now, but would it be appropriate for those hearings on the court challenges program to be televised on Wednesday and the days after?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
This is just my particular view of that, but the other two instances in which they have come to committee--the court challenges have been brought to two other committees--I don't think were televised. I've always been of the understanding that when a minister appears at meetings, those are televised.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I would express the wish that they be televised, Mr. Chairman. I've been around long enough to know that it's not only when ministers come forward; it is when the will of the committee is expressed by a majority of the membership or unanimously that we seek the ability and the room necessary or have whatever equipment is necessary installed in the room. So perhaps you could canvass the committee membership to see if there is a majority or a consensus even. Since we've agreed to hear witnesses on both sides, in reaction to or in support of the government's proposal, we might even have a consensus, Mr. Chairman.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
But given that it's Wednesday, we'll have to dispose of it before such time.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I would suggest that everyone take it under advisement right now, until the end of the meeting, and we'll see where we go. But we have our witnesses here right now.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
My understanding is that you are currently working on these issues. Could you give me an idea of your timeframe, that is to say when you expect to arrive at quite substantive conclusions and be in a position to make recommendations?
I must say that this is not clear to me. That might be my fault, in which case I apologize. How many groups are working on setting a policy, and when do you think the work will be completed?
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
In response to your first question, I would say that we are working on it. Regarding your second question, with regard to our timeframes, I would like to indicate that we are working on a number of files. For example, the tax credit program is not being reviewed by a committee: we have tasked a consultant to do the work on the ground. That will take some time, but we expect it to last eight to ten months.
The same applies to the evaluation of the National Training Program. This program review is not being conducted by any committee. We will have to see when we can bring all these files together. For example, we are conducting analysis to modernize the Telefilm Canada Act and legislation governing the National Film Board. We will submit proposals to the minister as soon as we receive them. We expect that to be done within the next year. It will be up to the minister to decide wether to hold consultations of not or adopt this package.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
One the files deals with international co-productions.
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
No, the work is being done internally.
We are also working on an evaluation of the tax credit program.
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
Indeed.
Work is also being done to modernize legislation governing Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
That is being done internally.
Work is also being done on centralization and certification of Canadian content. That is being done internally, together with federal audiovisual partners. Those partners include the CRTC, Telefilm Canada, several departments and the Canadian Television Fund. The fund is not a federal agency, but it nevertheless is an active partner.
That amounts to four or five files.
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Cultural Industries, Department of Canadian Heritage
In addition to that, the minister is meeting with feature film industry representatives. We are currently working on that internally, in cooperation with external partners.