From Mark Bulgutch of the Toronto Star:
Killing CanCon rules a very bad idea
Canadian content. Those are dirty words to some people. They don’t like the idea of anyone telling them what they should watch or listen to in their free time. Let the market sort things out, they say. Good programs will live, no matter where they’re produced. Bad programs will die. Continue reading.
There’s been / is / a lot of excellent Canadian Content, not nearly enough but way better than none at all. It’s a true miracle there’s been any Canadian Content since the 1970s rules because those rules have meant that production crews could be Canadian while what we watch and listen to is not, with the exception of the odd token Canadian actor. Providing news should NOT have counted as compliance. 3 guesses why things are that way. Now there’s going to be NO rules ? Gee thanks Justin – not.
They’re doing a review; they haven’t decided there are going to be no rules.
I agree with this article, completely. The CRTC rules should be far more strict.
If we don’t tell our stories, who will? Certain shows that are considered Canadian content, but are located in Anywhere, North America and usually work in a few American references, drive me crazy. They are not Canadian content. Why are we giving tax credits to Shitt’s Creek, Orphan Black etc.? They are obviously trying to look American. In this world of globalization, Canadians need to see their cities, neighbourhoods, and cultures on TV or streaming device. They need to hear their unique accents and references to Canadian people and places. We need to hear sitcoms make their punch lines about Justin Trudeau not Barak Obama, in a Newfoundland accent not a southern drawl.
We are chipping away at the self esteem of the nation. Telling them that they are not significant or good enough and that it’s better to generic if you can’t be American. Hide your Canadianess. As a child growing up in a small town in northern Alberta, I remember watching King of Kensington and dreaming of moving to the big city of Toronto and living in this neigbourhood, Kensington. Well here I am, today. If it weren’t for CanCon – correction – Canadian specific CanCon I would be living in New York or Chicago or I would have stayed where I am because Toronto would still be a mystery to me. CanCon – correction – Canadian specific CanCon unites us and makes the rest of our great country less of a mystery. We need to stop promoting the American way of life and promote the Canadian way of life.
If all these production companies want to do produce non Canadian content, then they should go do business in the US. We don’t need them in Canada. Our government must support strong CanCon regulation. For Canada to survive CanCon – correction – Canadian specific CanCon must survive or soon we will disappear into a generic world of Anywhere, USA.
On a side note there is a great Fifth Estate story on YouTube about the King of Kensington from the mid 70’s. It could have been shot today. Sadly, that’s how far we’ve come! Bonus points if you can recognize the host. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NysuT890PW8