Evidence of meeting #12 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 2nd 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
Welcome, everyone, to the twelfth meeting of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
Pursuant to Standing Orders 110 and 111, we are considering the order in council appointment of Michel Roy to the position of chair of the board of directors of Telefilm Canada, referred to the committee on November 13, 2007.
Welcome, Mr. Roy. I'm very pleased that you're here today, and we await your statement.
3:35 p.m.
Michel Roy Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen of the Committee. I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself and to discuss Telefilm Canada matters with you.
Given that the purpose of my appearance today is to examine my ability and skill to undertake the duties of Chair of the Board of Telefilm Canada, I’m sure you won’t mind if I begin with a brief overview of my career path to date.
I have held a number of senior managerial positions with the Government of Quebec since 1970, serving as director of communications and publicity with the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (Quebec health insurance board), director of tourist marketing, assistant deputy minister and director-general of tourism, vice-president of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (Quebec auto insurance board), deputy minister of tourism, deputy minister of communications, and delegate of the Quebec government in Chicago. During this period, I also taught a course and offered consulting services in public affairs management at the University of Quebec’s École nationale d’administration publique (school of public administration). The major part of my 30-year career, therefore, has been spent in public service, holding senior management positions with government ministries or public corporations. In this capacity, I was frequently called on to manage considerable human and financial resources.
During my career I have also sat on a number of boards, including those of the Société de développement industriel du Québec (Quebec Industrial Development Corporation) and the Régie des installations olympiques (Olympics Installations Board), and served as Quebec’s representative on a variety of Canadian and North American bodies, among them the Conference of Canadian Tourism Officials and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. I also had the privilege of representing Canada on an expert scientific panel with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.
After leaving public service, in 1996, I worked as a management consultant in the private sector. Among other things, I served, for two years, as chair of the board of International Hospitality of America, a Miami-based company involved in the cruise-ship industry. Returning to Quebec, I released two jazz albums—as composer and performer—which were distributed, respectively, by Les distributions Select, in 2001, and Warner Music Canada, in 2003. I then turned my attention to writing, and in November 2007 I published a biography of goalie Patrick Roy, titled Le Guerrier, which is published by Éditions Libre Expression.
Finally, I think it’s worth mentioning that I was introduced to the world of cinema at a very young age. My father, who was a reporter and writer—by that I mean novelist—began making films in Quebec in the early 1950s. Starting at the age of nine, I was cast as an extra in several of these films, and I got to know what a film shoot was like. Sometime around 1955, my father set up his own film production company, in Montréal: Serge Roy Productions. As a student, I spent my summers working as an assistant cameraman. Then, when I was 20, I learned film editing, and subsequently went on to work as an editor on more than 60 television programs for Radio-Canada, between 1962 and 1964. With this work experience under my belt, I now like to say that I have the mind of an administrator but the heart of an artist, a fitting combination for someone who has been asked to chair an organization dedicated to supporting cultural companies and organizations.
Although my appointment was announced on October 12 of last year, previous commitments undertaken well ahead of the appointment prevented me from getting as involved as I would have liked in Telefilm Canada matters. However, this didn’t stop me, in November and December, from reading a number of documents—I should say a tonne of documents—that allowed me to really begin my education in Telefilm Canada’s business; from meeting several times with senior managers, who outlined some of the major issues Telefilm Canada is currently facing; and from participating in a meeting of the Operations department in Montréal. At this meeting I also met the directors of Telefilm Canada’s four regional offices, who talked to me about the particularities of their respective markets.
During this period, I even began a series of one-on-one meetings with producers, directors, and writers in order to solicit their impressions of Telefilm Canada, in their capacity as Telefilm clients.
I admit it was not without some apprehension that I accepted the mandate the government conferred on me. Before my involvement with Telefilm, I had got wind, through the media, of some of the harsh criticisms that had been levelled at Telefilm in the past. But I must tell you that I was totally reassured after I went on a “fact-finding mission” in the last two months of 2007. Telefilm Canada is a well-run organization, managed by people who are competent, conscientious, honest, committed, and who manage to convey an infectious enthusiasm for the challenges they face every day.
What impressed me the most is the way Telefilm has evolved over the last few years—in a world where the only constant is change—in partnership with the industry and by paying very close attention to the industry’s needs. I was pleasantly surprised by the Corporation’s ability to adapt as its work environment changes and in response to the larger context in which it is evolving. Because there’s no point avoiding the fact that we are in thrall to an unprecedented technological revolution. This revolution is, almost on a daily basis, providing us with new ways to reach audiences and, bit by bit, is transforming the very nature of the audiovisual industry, from the production and broadcasting of works, by way of the increasing control that audiences now want to exert over the products they consume.
Of course, these new technologies stimulate the bright minds who produce cultural products and enable these minds to stand out from the competition, at the national as well as international level. At the same time, however, these technological discoveries—which seem to increase tenfold every minute—are creating multiple new challenges. These are challenges that those who want to support companies in the audiovisual sector now have to take on.
Even the globalization of markets has thrown up its share of new challenges: high-quality works now enjoy a wider and wider reach and offer increasingly larger returns; however, this is offset by the fact that these works entail significantly higher financial risks that force their producers to be innovative also when it comes to funding methods.
Telefilm Canada’s birth, more than 40 years ago, was prompted by the needs of the film industry. The television industry was added later on, as was, more recently, what we call, for want of a better term, new media. When we speak of Telefilm Canada today, we’re really talking about “Audiovisual Canada.”
Under my watch, Telefilm Canada will continue to listen to its clientele, to maintain constructive relationships with the group of clients it serves, so as to continue being attuned to the changing dynamics of this constantly changing technological environment. I will encourage Telefilm to continue its fruitful dialogue with its clients and other industry stakeholders.
I convened a meeting of the Corporation’s Board for the first time two weeks ago. Two Board seats are currently vacant, but the Minister of Canadian Heritage has assured me that they will be filled very shortly. I eagerly await these appointments, which will allow the Board to fully undertake its mandate. The Board’s mandate, broadly speaking, is to oversee the management of the Corporation’s business activities as well as its internal affairs.
At my first Board meeting, I indicated to the members that I did not want a ceremonial Board; I wanted a Board that would be deeply involved in the Corporation’s business. We were called upon to contribute our experience and our expertise—I'm talking about members' services. We are here to serve Telefilm Canada, and in this spirit we will undertake our duties. I insisted that the Board be vigilant when it comes to two matters in particular. First, the Board must ensure that Telefilm respects its governing mission, its raison d’être, at all times. Second, the Board must ensure that Telefilm’s operational mechanisms yield decisions based on the highest standards of integrity and probity. This oversight will obviously be conducted in close collaboration with senior management. Telefilm’s Board and senior management will also study how we can do business in new ways so as to maximize the necessarily limited resources that the audiovisual sector can draw on to flourish and develop.
But we’ll have to answer the following questions at each step of the way: Does this fit in with our mandate? Are we carrying out our activities in a fully accountable and fair manner? Are we capable of adapting as quickly as necessary to the changing needs of an industry constrained by technology’s relentless advance? Can we quantify and measure real results flowing from our strategies? Are we operating as effectively and as efficiently as possible?
Telefilm Canada plays a unique role, the only one of its kind among cultural organizations. That role is to support the development and promotion of an audiovisual industry and of talented Canadians who, through their products, seek to attract audiences at home and abroad using all broadcasting platforms available to them. As we evolve in a highly competitive environment, we must, to the greatest degree possible, ensure that the Canadian public funds we draw on serve to attract funding from private sector or other sources, thereby creating a multiplier effect.
I am honoured to be associated with an organization of this scale and scope, and I plan to bring the greatest level of enthusiasm and passion to the time, energy and knowledge I invest in Telefilm. Telefilm Canada is already entering its fifth decade, and it is to the future that it must turn its attention. Film, television, all the new ways of reaching audiences that are becoming more and more demanding, via traditional, digital, interactive or other type of content, will continue to play a larger and larger role in the lives of citizens over the next few years. The Canadian audiovisual industry must stake its place. The current context is clearly very different from the one which existed prior to the Corporation’s founding in 1967. The same holds true for the challenges we now face, and I’m very proud to be involved with Telefilm at this point in its history.
So it is with pleasure that I'll now try to answer your questions. I say “try” because I'm not sure I can. As you'll understand, my appointment is a very recent one. I would have liked to appear before you with a full and complete knowledge of what Telefilm Canada and the Canadian audiovisual industry are. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to acquire that knowledge. I can talk to you about my personal experience. I can talk to you about my knowledge, as it is limited today to Telefilm and the Canadian audiovisual industry. In the more or less near future, you'll no doubt invite me again to speak more about the content of Telefilm Canada.
I look forward to answering your questions.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Thank you for that.
At the beginning I neglected to mention that you were here as a witness for Telefilm Canada as chair of the board of directors, so I apologize for that. I'm quite sure everyone in the room understands that, but I had missed that part.
We'll go to the first questions. And I must say we try to keep it as close as we can to five minutes each. We'll make sure that everyone has the opportunity to ask. If it goes a little longer than five minutes, that's okay.
Mr. Bélanger.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome, Mr. Roy.
In your opinion, Mr. Roy, is the funding that Telefilm receives from the Government of Canada adequate?
3:50 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
I don't think there is an absolute answer to that question, Mr. Bélanger. There are two ways of looking at the situation. For example, if you consider that French-language films are 80% financed out of public funds and that English-language films are approximately 60% financed, anyone working in a cultural industry other than film could say that too much money is being allocated to that sector and that efforts should be made to improve those percentages.
On the other hand, the efforts that the government has made in recent years have been worth the trouble because they have made it possible to build an industry in Canada. Producers, directors, actors, boom operators, sound engineers, in short, the whole range of trades have developed a film industry. These highly competent and qualified people make it possible to market films, whether it be for movie theatres, television or other platforms, that are gaining increasing international recognition.
From that standpoint, the other answer that could be given to your question is that the funding will never be sufficient to satisfy Canadians' creative appetite in the audiovisual field.
3:50 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Yes, we knew we'd get around to that.
You say you've met with producers, directors and screenwriters to gain a better understanding of their perception of Telefilm Canada. Did those people tell you whether or not the Government of Canada's funding of Telefilm Canada was adequate?
3:50 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
I mentioned that I had started to meet with producers. I intend to meet a number of them because that's the way I do things. I want to see on the other side of the fence how they perceive Telefilm Canada and the support it provides them.
3:50 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
Those I've met form a very small sample. To date, I've perhaps met four or five individuals, in November and December, because, as I explained earlier, I had prior outside engagements. It's not necessary to meet these people in order to know... In Quebec, for example, we all saw the newspaper reports of the statements by Roger Frappier, who is complaining about inadequate funding for French-language films. That's fair ball. Mr. Frappier is, among other things, an intelligent person. He's an excellent producer who puts out high-quality works. Obviously, for people like Mr. Frappier, there will never be enough funding to satisfy their appetite.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
But, as Chair of the Board, Mr. Roy, you aren't prepared today to say that there would be grounds to increase Telefilm Canada's funding.
3:50 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
Currently, in the French-language film market, given the appetite of producers, I don't think funding is sufficient.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Thank you, that's what I wanted to know.
In your view, what are the governance challenges specific to French-language films, of course, but especially to English-language films? We know that, on the French-language side, film occupies roughly 20% of air time—or screen time, I should say—but it's less than 2% on the English-language side. What are the governance challenges you think you are facing?
I'll come back and make a brief comment at the very end.
3:50 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
First, these are two very different markets. One can say that there is one film industry in Canada, but two very different markets. I think you have to address those two markets very differently.
On the English-language side, for example, what I've learned to date is that there is a problem with the quality of screenplays, with the number of high-quality screenplays that are prepared by screenwriters and that are more consistent with the tastes of English-speaking Canadians. It seems to me there's also a problem with the relations that exist, that don't exist or that should exist to a sufficient degree between producers, distributors and movie theatre operators—I don't know whether that's what they're called.
With regard to governance, to try to solve this very specific problem, we've developed a program that supports the development of the screenwriters, provides training for high-quality screenwriters able to produce high-quality screenplays. We've also just hired Ms. Azam, a specialist who has spent the last seven years in the film marketing field in New York to try to create this phenomenon of osmosis between producers, distributors and movie theatre operators and to correct this—
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I have a minute left?
I'm going to have to interrupt you, because I want to close. Thank you very much.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Roy, you have on this side of the table two members of Parliament who in this week have made comments in the House wishing for Telefilm Canada to embark on a campaign to make sure that the nominees we have in record numbers this year for artists or productions made by Canadians win Oscars. I hope you will see to it, as chairman of the board, that resources are made available so this campaign is effective and we get a fair chunk of gold coming back from Hollywood after the Oscars are held.
3:55 p.m.
Chair, Board of Directors, Telefilm Canada
I understand you perfectly well, sir.
Mr. Chairman, may I provide a supplementary answer?