Evidence of meeting #35 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st 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.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
The reinstatement of Telefilm funding as well as the grind; correct.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Could you just revisit the Telefilm spending a bit? What would you like to see changed?
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
Really, Mr. Dion, it's just to reinstate the $10.6 million that was taken away from Telefilm during the difficulties with the budget.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
So you're proposing to bring back the $10.6 million.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
Yes. I mean, the $10.6 million will be global, and the spill-down effect will be tens of millions of dollars.
Liberal
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
As I originally suggested along with my colleagues, the grind back on federal tax credits has been a constant nuisance for the industry, as we've talked about ad nauseam for many years.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Is there somebody in the industry who may be nervous about these changes and who may argue that it's not the right thing to do, or do you think it would be unanimously supported?
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
I think it would be unanimous, Mr. Dion. As someone who sits on the board of directors of the Canadian producers association—I can't speak for the association, but I can certainly speak as a board member—I feel it would be unanimous.
President, North Shore Studios; Chair of Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia
On behalf of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association, it would be unanimous.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Okay, good. I want to thank you very much for that.
Can you explain how these changes would help you to face the challenges you have now with the new technologies, the digital revolution and all these situations that have changed so much in the last 10 years? In order to convince the government to do so, come with your full recommendation.
President, North Shore Studios; Chair of Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia
Why don't I start on that one.
First of all, if we have more competitive financing opportunities, we're going to attract more production here. When we attract more production, we're attracting the top companies in the world that are at the forefront of the changing technology, companies like MPC, Deluxe, Technicolor, and Double Negative. These are award-winning production companies that are introducing new technologies all the time.
When we did Planet of the Apes here, for instance, we had some of the people from Weta come up from New Zealand to train some of our people here, and they brought new technology in terms of the look of the apes, as an example. These technologies are then used throughout the industry. We're talking about feature films, television series, games, and other digital components. They are utilized in all those sectors, so it's even more advantageous than for just the film industry. It's much broader-based in terms of all creative content.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Merci.
We'll now go back to Mr. Weston.
I believe you're going to share your seven minutes with Mr. Young.
February 25th, 2015 / 4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Thank you, again.
We MPs have a lot of discretion over how we allocate our time.
I think my constituents want me to advocate for the film sector for the reasons you've been giving: the large revenues, the number of jobs, and the fact that they're environmentally friendly jobs. One of the things that might not come to the eye is the way that the producers and the union seem to work well together. I've seen that in my advocacy for the film sector.
I wonder, Peter, if you might want to start the response to that. I think that's exemplary, and it helps us do our job helping you.
President, North Shore Studios; Chair of Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia
I think it's a priority for us. When we sit around the table with our industry association, all the heads of labour sit around that table as well. We work very closely with them in terms of making our jurisdiction as attractive as we can.
There are other things we do which I think are not as recognized. First, the unions invest a lot in training, which benefits us all. They invest a lot in safety and also a lot in maintaining as green an industry in North America, in British Columbia, for instance, as they can. I think we've been a leader in terms of the environment.
The other important thing is that we also work closely with the schools in trying to make sure that students get an opportunity to get on set and get engaged in the business. Shawn and I have both spoken at universities and have encouraged students to get in and have helped mentor them. The unions are very good at that also. They also maintain a very high standard in terms of safety, as I talked about before. It has been a really close collaboration, unlike the situation in other industries.
Shawn.
President, Brightlight Pictures; Member of Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia
The cooperation with the unions in both Ontario and British Columbia is not new. But many years ago the cooperation didn't exist. It wasn't there until there was a significant threat 15 years or so ago and California suggested they could move away without some labour stability in British Columbia. Cooperation from that point on has led to incredible growth across the country.
So we do see an unprecedented amount of cooperation between labour and management in the industry.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
It's about time for my colleague, Terence Young.
David Hardy Vice-President, Industry and Government Relations, William F. White International Inc.
I'm sorry, but I wonder if we in Ontario could comment on that. With all due respect to our colleagues, we're feeling a little lonely out here in Ontario.
Conservative
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
The reality is that most of the Canadian feature film work, which I understood originally was the subject of this committee and doesn't seem to be anymore, is done in Ontario.
Vice-President, Industry and Government Relations, William F. White International Inc.
I could quickly comment on the question about union and management relationships. I spent 10 years as the business agent with one of the technical unions here in Ontario, and there has long been a recognition that due to the globalization of the industry, we have to compete and work together, and we have to minimize the issues that traditionally plague labour and management relationships. I think the film and television sector are models for how management and union can and should and need to work to be much more productive in this country than we are, certainly, in some of the other sectors.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William F. White International Inc.
We look at labour as our partners. We are selling Canada in the States, and we're talking to clients, to Canadian producers. The labour partners are the most important partners we have.
