MONTREAL – The Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) and the Association des producteurs de films et de television du Québec (APFTQ) have called for an urgent meeting with the ministers from Heritage and Foreign Affairs to discuss the government’s decision to eliminate cultural programs valued at nearly $18 million.
Last Friday, the Conservative government announced that the A-V Preservation Trust ($300,000), the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund ($1.5-million), the National Training Schools Program ($2.5- million), PromArt ($4.7-million) and Trade Routes ($9-million) will be eliminated as of March 31, 2009.
“These cuts risk diminishing Canada’s international reputation," says Sandra Cunningham, chair of the CFTPA. "Highlighting Canadian culture on the world stage not only benefits artists, it also helps generate tourism, immigration, business and investment back in Canada. Limiting international exposure of Canadian excellence is a short-sighted move by the government."
The film and television sector generates about $5 billion in production activity annually, including $1.7 billion in exports, and sustains 127,000 direct and indirect jobs.
"While the government maintains that it wants to encourage trade and co-production to attract foreign investment, we find it paradoxical that it has chosen to eliminate the Trade Routes program which has a specific mandate to help companies in our sector export," said Claire Samson, president and CEO of the APFTQ.
"And, these cuts are in addition to the government’s refusal to respond to the needs of our community for increased support to feature films, theatrical documentaries and co-production."
The associations say the government has also not yet indicated whether it will continue to contribute to both the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) and the Canada New Media Fund (CNMF) which technically wind-down at the end of March 2009. “To date there has been no indication on what the government plans to do with these programs which are integral to the viability of the independent television and interactive media production sectors,” the CFTPA said in a statement.
"We are concerned that cuts to Canadian cultural funds will harm the film and television industry at a time when many producers are looking at what impact the internet and other federal funding policies will have on them in years to come," says Guy Mayson, president and CEO of the CFTPA. "We need to remind the government of this to make certain our industry isn’t slowly chipped away by successive cuts to the support programs that ensure its viability and success."
The associations underscore that the cuts to the CIFVF and the National Training Schools Program will equally undermine the industry. The Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund it says supports a critical niche in the industry; “one focussed on lifelong learning in the non-theatrical sector, and most often supporting the early works of young, upcoming producers.”
It adds that the National Training Schools Program helps support the professional development of the next generation of creators in our industry. Some of Canada’s most internationally renowned producers and creators have emerged from the national institutes supported by this program.
