Evidence of meeting #6 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Screen Training Centre
I think it's a necessity. The point I was making is that it's not just because it's a nice thing to do; it's because it's good business to do. It's the fastest-growing sector of the economy, or it has been up to now.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Thank you very much.
Final question, Mrs. Glover, please.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Thank you so much, all of you, for being here today.
I can assure you that as the mother of an actor, we on this side of the room believe it's very important to support our artists. Arts and culture is very important to us. Mr. Berdowski, I think you said it very well when you said it's important to our economy.
I want you to be selfless for just a moment and I want you to answer very quick questions. When we look at the whole arts and culture realm here in Canada, I think you would all agree it's important that more money be put toward arts and culture as a whole. Agreed, Mr. Lambert?
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
It's a simple yes or no. Do you agree, yes, you want more money, or no, you want less money?
Chair, John Lambert and Associates Inc.
I think it needs to be well invested.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
It should go to the artists.
Conservative
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Screen Training Centre
I don't think you can say more is better; I think it has to be targeted and focused.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Absolutely.
Now I want to point out that it's very difficult to be in government making difficult decisions, and that is why we did a strategic review. A 17% increase is what we're looking at for the Canada Council for the Arts. Is that not something that you would agree is a good thing?
Good or not good, Mr. Lambert?
Conservative
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
It doesn't help our producers. It doesn't help our--
Conservative
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
I'm being selfless. It doesn't help our producers.
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Screen Training Centre
I just go back to what you said a minute ago about evaluations. Reviews were done in each area, and I just point out that in the case of our particular area, the review that was done does not call for the termination of the program.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
Mr. Robitaille, 17% more to the Canada Council for the Arts--do you think that's a good thing?
Screenwriter, Canadian Screen Training Centre
I wish we had the same developing capacities now that I had when I was developing my trade.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
I'm just going to go back to past years.
Mr. Berdowski, I know you focused a little bit on what happened over the last few years. In the last ten years the film and video industry and its training programs in the sector have undergone significant changes. As I was doing some of the research, I couldn't help but find that we have a significant increase in a number of institutions providing training in the same area. Would you agree with the statement that over the last ten years there's been a significant increase?