By Doug Barrett
HERITAGE MINISTER STEVEN Guilbeault’s appearance at the virtual Banff World Media Festival Tuesday morning was a bit of a revelation to me, and in a surprisingly good way.
We usually show up to these things expecting the three Ps: politics, platitudes and postponement – and certainly the various industry and media appearances of one of Mr. Guilbeault’s Liberal predecessors met all three of those tests, sometimes in the case of her appearance on Toute le Monde en Parle in 2017, famously so.
However, Guilbeault’s time Tuesday was, I almost hate to say it, refreshingly different.
Why?
First, he was well prepared and clearly knowledgeable about the file. For a guy who until now has been almost completely immersed in environmental causes, it was no small surprise to see and hear the extent to which he has mastered the nuances of our world of arts, communication, broadcasting and journalism. We have always expected our ministers to walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk but few of them have ever made it sound like more than a bit of professional memory work. Minister Guilbeault actually appears to know what he is talking about. Hallelujah!
Second, he had a clear and firm policy purpose: We are going to figure out how to ensure all players make a fair and equitable contribution to the system, and then we are going to make that happen in an orderly way. There will be a new Broadcasting Act and an enhanced role for the CRTC: mainly, it will be given the powers it needs to do its job properly. The BTLR Panel did excellent work and he agrees with the broad themes of the report, but not with every recommendation. It is true he promised new legislation by June, but Covid upended all that and it will now be introduced as soon as possible. He said the new legislation is in an advanced stage of preparation and almost ready to go. Wow.
“Frankly, I waited in vain for the platitudinous baloney. I was almost disappointed!”
Third, he was straightforward and direct. He answered questions clearly and carefully. There was no dissembling. He did not hesitate to refuse to answer some questions, but made it clear without evasion why he did so. Frankly, I waited in vain for the platitudinous baloney. I was almost disappointed!
Fourth, he was credible. It is important to keep in mind that reform to the broadcasting system is a topic that has literally been studied to death. Inquiries and investigations have followed inquiries and investigations, and each new announcement has been coupled with yet another investigatory phase or process. I even wrote some time ago in Cartt.ca we should not expect to see a new Act for as many as five to seven years. Minister Guilbeault makes me feel something is finally going to happen.
Fifth, and last, he made me believe he was actually focused on doing the job he was appointed to do. Too often we have had ministers whose eyes seemed to be on the next Cabinet prize, who give lip service to necessary policy objectives, who use their imagination and discourse to defer, delay and dissemble. This guy seems to get what is needed; he expresses a purpose for making timely progress; he proposes to deliver what is sensible and consistent with the decade’s old principles of our cultural policy. If he fulfills this promise it will be an epic breakthrough and a victory for good governance.
Call me crazy, but I think we might have a ringer.
Doug Barrett is a veteran of over 30 years in the Canadian media and entertainment industries and since 2008 a professor in Media Management Schulich School of Business of York University. He is also the Principal of Barcode SDG, a strategic advisory firm. He was also president and CEO of PS Production Services from 2006 to 2013 and prior to that spent 20 years as one of Canada’s most successful entertainment lawyers, serving as senior partner at McMillan LLP. From 2004 to 2008, he served as chair of the board of directors of the Canadian Television Fund. He has also served on several additional industry boards, including the Banff Television Festival, the Feature Film Project of the Canadian Film Centre and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association. He was also a key founder of the Alliance Atlantis Banff Television Executive Program.
