The rationale is as follows: if you look at cities that have become major shooting places—Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal--over the years, by allowing these productions, their key actors, and some of their key people to come, you've seen an emerging cinema industry where some of our cameramen in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto are now some of the best in the world, and they shoot films elsewhere as well, so it has created economic benefits.
On May 13th, 2008. See this statement in context.