Just like The Beatles, Come Together

The latest on C-10...

**As of Monday, March 3, 12 pm, PST, there are 15, 512 members of facebook's C-10 protest group!


Representatives from the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) are scheduled to meet with officials at Heritage Canada on Monday; presumably to clarify exactly what changes are being proposed and to set limits on the amount of censorship the bill will mean…

Bill C-10 has been sent back to the Senate’s Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee for review, according to industry players. Glad industry honchos are keeping on it...but…it’s time for a major tete-a-tete…

A joint media conference (CFTPA, CAB) is being considered for tomorrow, not yet confirmed…The industry’s best move would be to go ahead with it and invite reps from the Directors Guild (DGC), Writers Guild (WGC), IATSE, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & TV, the CSC… AND citizens’ groups, such as the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.

Facebook’s C-10 protest group is now at 10,957 members (Sunday, March 2, 11 am PST.) It had about 500 fewer members just 90 minutes ago. Unbelievable. Canadians haven’t been this agitated since an old female pensioner told Brian Mulroney, “You made us vote for you, then Goodbye, Charlie Brown.”

It’s important to keep the momentum going, but it’s just as important to update the people affected by this (and that’s ALL Canadians) on the latest developments…I just checked the websites of the CFTPA, CAB, the Academy and the public section of the WGC – couldn’t find a media release or statement about the matter on any.

Only the DGC’s website has a release clearly posted, one headlined: “Directors Guild of Canada slams C-10 censorship.”

It’s vital for industry reps to reach beyond the industry at this time, and speak to its audience - viewers/citizens/taxpayers. The issue has implications for all Canadians, not just those in the TV & Film-making businesses.

The facebook protesters aren’t all industry workers. My friends (not in industry) are writing letters about this issue. There aren’t many opportunities when creators and audiences can rally together and this is one of them.

If there’s a silver lining in this cloud of proposed thought control, it’s that there’s an opportunity for the industry to explain the system and how it works or doesn’t – and garner support from its audience, Canadians who support homegrown creators. And the Genie Awards are tomorrow, so hopefully there’s a bit of speechwriting happening across the nation.

I just noticed how much I’m using the word creator while writing about C-10. Jesus, there I go again... whoops, must be subliminal messaging.

Happy Sunday…I’m gonna go worship at the Church of Freedom of Expression. Hallelujah.