We’ve been vocal about the Conservative government proposals a few times this past year, but this October federal election has forced us to explain again the three reasons why we feel under assault by the Conservative candidates.
The Conservatives want to censor our work.
Bill C-10 is an omnibus bill amending the Income Tax Act and contains a series of amendments affecting a variety of different industries, funds and individuals. The issue that concerns Canada’s film and television community is Section 120, which would allow the Heritage Minister (currently Josée Verner) to withdraw tax credits from productions determined to be “contrary to public policy.”
–quoted from CBC’s coverage on the issue
The Tories proposed a bill that would allow a government official to withdraw tax credits from a production even after they had been committed and offered no clear guidelines about how this policy would be enforced. We rely on many sources of financing to create our projects and depend on those commitments to come through at the end to pay our team. We cannot build edgy, award-winning projects that push the envelope if we are not confident that our partners will pay us in the end. This policy will force Stitch Media to choose between censoring ourselves to the whims of the current government, or go without pay for our work.
The Conservatives want to make our work illegal.
When Bill C-61 was proposed it was like a smack in the face. This bill had been consistently rejected as an overreaching copyright amendment and was returned with barely any consultation with many of the same core problems. The worst one being that using a device or software in a way that it’s not intended by the creator will become illegal.
Stitch Media has a reputation for achieving the impossible. We don’t play with our toys the way the manufacturer intended, because we’re trying to reinvent them – to make them better. It’s the reason we have used camera phones to read barcodes and switchboards as choose-your-own-adventures. Our work relies on experimentation for innovation. Innovation in technology and media will be made illegal through this bill.
The Conservatives feel our work is a waste of money.
To further the development, production, and marketing/distribution of high-quality, original, interactive or on-line Canadian cultural new media works, in both official languages.
–mandate of the Canada New Media Fund
The Canada New Media Fund has not been renewed along with multiple funds to support arts in Canada. These funds are equal to any other industry subsidy, but for some reason this government has concentrated on ‘saving’ $45 million from a frivolous sector. The most disturbing part of the situation is that Stephen Harper doesn’t care, calling this a niche issue.
We are this niche.
We are a small company that creates jobs for many Canadians each year. We have partnered with the government for financial assistance in the past and as a result have tripled in size. We have already made the argument that investing in this field of cross-media as it grows will help Canada become a world leader in this industry, employ Canadians and produce culture as a by-product. It is not an exaggeration to say that government support made us more competitive on the international stage and as a result, we are working on large-scale projects with worldwide partners.
Does this sound like something that our government should censor, criminalize and stop supporting? For our sake, we hope not.
Additional resources:
Study reveals erosion in arts funding
Art as Election Issue
Gala crowd, ‘ivory towers’ earn Harper scorn
National Digital Media Day Dawns
