Let’s ensure we promote Canadian storytelling

Back in 1991, the TV show “Les Filles de Caleb” premiered on Radio-Canada. This TV show became a cultural touchstone for Quebec, with families coming together to watch Émilie Bordeleau teaching.

In 2020, when Canadians watch TV they are more likely to catch an episode on a smartphone or stream a show when it’s convenient for them — appointment viewing is virtually dead.

But even though our viewing habits have drastically changed over the past 30 years, the framework overseeing how film and TV is made is still stuck in the era of writing letters and fax machines. Streaming platforms are benefiting from Canadian audiences and, unlike Canadian companies, streamers have no obligations whatsoever to invest in our own stories.

That’s why last week, I introduced an act to amend the Broadcasting Act, to bring our framework into the 21st century

Modernization will require all companies — including digital ones — that want to access the Canadian market to contribute their fair share to the production of our own stories. This contribution will be financial and will involve the promotion of Canadian films, television and music.

This modernization is an important first step to ensure that web giants contribute fairly to our society

Platforms will be required to showcase the Canadian elements of their catalogue, offering local reading lists and documentaries on our history, issues, films or series made for Canadians, by Canadians. In other words, we will ensure the “discoverability” of our Canadian stories and music.

These changes are important for three reasons:

> Asking streaming broadcasters to do their fair share is not a luxury, it’s a matter of fairness to Canadian businesses.

> The new system is expected to generate nearly $1 billion a year of additional investments in the production and broadcasting of Canadian series, films and music by foreign platforms operating in Canada. The audiovisual industry employs about 160,000 Canadians — about as many as work in the oil and gas sector — and this investment will bring even more jobs and opportunities for our artists and creators.

> Canada is rich in culture, with two official languages and the unique experiences of Indigenous peoples. We must ensure that our stories continue to be told from our perspective and with our own artists. We need to maintain our cultural sovereignty, to create works that reflect us and bring us together.

With the modernization of the legislation, francophone, anglophone, Indigenous, people with disabilities, racialized and LGBTQ creators will have the means to tell their own stories. We will also create incentives to encourage a greater diversity of creative voices and promote equitable compensation for musical artists.

Finally, our approach is realistic and includes a number of strict guardrails. User-generated content, video games and news content will be excluded from this new regulatory framework.

Additionally, the legislation will not apply to all online content producers, but only to those of significant economic and cultural importance in the country. It will also be flexible enough to adapt to different business models that will emerge over time.

This modernization is an important first step to ensure that web giants contribute fairly to our society. Another initiative, guided by the same principle of fairness, will follow shortly and will aim to preserve the essential work of our newsrooms.

Our proposal is not only beneficial to the Canadian economy and our culture, it will also serve platforms who invest in content that their audiences can identify with.

I can’t wait for my children to identify with the stories they watch, no matter how, when or where they watch. The breadth of choice will remain, but this time it will be alongside well-financed and showcased Canadian stories and music, reflecting of our rich identity.