Finance committee  I think that was the theory behind what the CBC was doing. Theoretically, they're not driven by commercial concerns--and ratings. But of course, they are. If you go to India, you'll see indigenous programs, and the production values are pretty low. But the audience is huge, because they can't see themselves watching Friends, which is there too.

Finance committee  Thank you. We'll need it.

Finance committee  Unfortunately, for most of our members, the CBC is pretty much the only game in town for doing drama. Development is where our members live. I have made a living writing scripts that don't get made, but that's the process: we're the R and D of the industry. Of the major networks and the small specialty channels, the CBC is the volume buyer of that development.

Finance committee  Thank you. The Writers Guild of Canada welcomes this opportunity to appear before the Standing Committee on Finance in the pre-budget consultations. The WGC is the national association representing more than 1,800 professional screenwriters working in English language film, television, radio, and digital production in Canada.