Canadian Heritage committee  Do you mean specifically in the case of the envelopes? Yes. For example, Bon Cop, Bad Cop was an enormous success. It is going to receive in the fiscal year after this one an envelope of up to about $3 million or $3.5 million that is under the responsibility of its producer--does

Canadian Heritage committee  I have much respect for Mr. Stursberg's work at Telefilm Canada prior to my arriving. In fact, he said he wears the black hat, and I get to ride into town with the white hat. It makes things a little more comfortable. One of the things I did symbolically, as well as practically,

Canadian Heritage committee  I'll give you a specific example that I think responds directly to your question, but also signifies so much more. We announced the great Canadian video competition. We did it in partnership with the private sector, because it's an increasing priority in terms of our working rel

Canadian Heritage committee  No, I don't feel that at all.

Canadian Heritage committee  No, no, I appreciate that. No. I think part of the message--and it is much implicit in this corporation, as we touched on--is to find out where you can initiate cost savings. Closing the Paris office was not something done easily, but in a context of priorities and where the mo

Canadian Heritage committee  I'll ask Monsieur Pradier to speak to that, if I may.

Canadian Heritage committee  The direct answer is that the vast majority of countries in the world have corporations such as Telefilm Canada or public agencies, both federal and provincial, like Telefilm Canada or SODEC in Quebec. It's more the norm than the exception.

Canadian Heritage committee  They have a system very similar to our own. They have something akin to the envelope system we were talking about earlier. They have a market interest fund. They provide financial support through the Australian Film Development Corporation for development, for production, and for

Canadian Heritage committee  Sorry, but with all due respect to Hollywood--wonderful films--that's not our challenge. They are ubiquitous. They're spending $100 million on a production and another $50 million on the marketing. As you know, Telefilm's budget is less than $100 million for all films everywhere.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, it is, but the reality, given the size of our budget--

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely, and after 40 years...I'm old enough to have seen the growth in this industry, and it is considerable, believe me. There are those who would argue academically and on the street that the real birth of Canadian cinema as a sustainable industry occurred when the Canadian

Canadian Heritage committee  The goal of the Canadian feature film fund was 5% of the domestic market. Over the five years of the Canadian feature film fund, as you know, we reached that. We exceeded it by a modest 0.3%. Behind that success, we all know, is the dramatic—

Canadian Heritage committee  —accomplishment of Quebec cinema, which at its peak in 2005-06 achieved something around 25% or 26%. The maximum in English Canada was 1.9%. For the vast majority, I would say approximately 85% are American productions, along with 85% of the box office. The difference would be n

Canadian Heritage committee  As Monsieur Bélanger has stated, flexibility is an advantage. Certainly in the multi-platform universe, it's an even greater advantage. If I may, on your two points about business and culture, as long as I've been involved in the cultural industries, keeping that balance has been

Canadian Heritage committee  I think the flexibility is a benefit. I am sorry for repeating myself, but to go back to this multi-platform universe, we have to be able to respond quickly to the changes in the environment, to the changes in the industry, industrially as well as culturally. To move quickly we