Heritage Minister says culture spending can lead to economic growth
TORONTO – The federal government is turning its attention to overhauling the laws and regulations governing the cultural sector in Canada because it sees creativity as the driving force behind innovation, which will drive the growth of the Canadian economy, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly told delegates at the CRTC and NFB’s Discoverability Summit in Toronto on Tuesday.
While noting that the government has promised a $1.9 billion investment in arts and culture over the next five years – the first G7 country to make such an investment, she added – it’s not being done just to buttress the likes of Orphan Black or Book of Negroes, two excellent productions made with the help of the Canada Media Fund, but “we really want to invest in an ecosystem of creation that will foster innovation” and economic growth, said the minister in her address.
“In any sector, the ability to innovate, to imagine, create and push boundaries is invaluable and the cultural sector is one of the most creative… and must continue to be.”
“On the other hand, it has made it more challenging for content creators to stand out and find audiences.” Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly
We’re living in a digital age where Blockbuster Video has given way to Netflix and iTunes and shomi and CraveTV, where radio faces tough competition for listeners from Google Play and Spotify and many others. She even pointed to how Snapchat and WhatsApp are stealing texting away from the incumbent wireless providers and that all of our new technology “has made creators out of almost anyone.”
This shift in consumption is good news in many ways, but “on the other hand, it has made it more challenging for content creators to stand out and find audiences,” said Joly. “Because of the ever-increasing range of content choices, we need to make it easier for Canadians to find the content they’re looking for.”
While the review of Canadian content rules (and the Acts which govern those) will be wide ranging, it will “require thinking outside of the box,” as well as “creativity, courage and co-operation,” she added as the government looks to strengthen the creation, discovery and export of Cancon in digital era. “The time is right to review the role of the federal government in helping Canada’s creative sector navigate the digital transformation and chart a course to ensure (Canadians) position themselves as global leaders.”
As well, after spending a day with a group of 15-17 year olds at the Youth Discoverability Summit last week and seeing their current media consumption patterns, Joly also urged delegates to pay close attention to their preferences and their “fresh perspectives” as they create content and develop new distribution models.
“I encourage you to accept that technological changes which impact people’s consumption of news and entertainment can be an opportunity for us to develop a new model that will lead the way… that the ideas that come out of the Summit will inform our public consultation… let’s all work together to help ensure the continued vitality of Canada’s cultural sector.”
