Minister Joly says "timing was right"
GATINEAU, QC – Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is sharing some of the input she received during her recent consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World.
Based on feedback collected by Ipsos via the online portal, in-person events, social media discussions and mail and e-mail submissions, What We Heard Across Canada: Canadian Culture in a Digital World, released Tuesday, identified the following eight key themes and messages heard during the consultation:
– Showcasing Canada’s cultural sector: increased support for production of Canadian content as well as sustained efforts on marketing and communication will help underscore its value both at home and abroad.
– Reasserting the role of Canadian creators in the digital age: Canadian creators must share in the financial rewards resulting from increased dissemination of cultural content via digital channels. Likewise, there is a need to foster increased re-investments in order to promote the creation of Canadian digital cultural content.
– Defining Canadian cultural content and Canadian cultural creators: Canada should revisit and update what qualifies as Canadian content and who qualifies as a Canadian creator.
– Adapting current funding models to a constantly changing cultural landscape: There is a need for increased funding as well as the creation of funding models that are more adaptable.
– Finding new sources of public funding: Proposals include a sales tax on digital services, an ISP tax/levy, contributions to Canadian content by digital platforms, spectrum auction revenue or an increase from government general revenue.
– Modernizing Canada’s legislative framework and national cultural institutions: Canada’s Broadcasting Act, the Copyright Act and the mandates of the CRTC and the CBC/Radio-Canada must keep pace with the shifting digital environment.
– Clarifying the role of Canada’s public broadcaster: CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate, funding structure is in need of review.
– Collaborating to take up the challenges ahead: Much of the needed change discussed involves collaboration between the Department of Canadian Heritage, other government departments, provinces and territories, as well as the public and private sectors.
"The timing for these consultations was right”, said Minister Joly in a statement accompanying the report. “Canadians joined the conversation and shared their different perspectives, contributing to a stimulating discussion on how to promote our culture and achieve both social and economic objectives. By presenting this report to Canadians, we are taking another step toward open government and engaging Canadians in the development of modern cultural policies and frameworks-a toolkit that is better suited to today's realities."
The consultation and report is intended to help the Federal government determine the best ways to strengthen the creation, discovery and export of Canadian content.
