Activists and artists including Sarah Polley in Ottawa today to oppose Bill C-10

By Ezra Winton, April 10, 2008 Comments (0)

Activists and actors were in Ottawa today to protest the proposed Bill C-10, which would give the government powers to censor films (by killing their tax credits) it deemed "offensive." So far Harper's Conservatives have found the following things offensive and have summarily cut their funding:

+ Adult literature program for First Nations
+ Women shelters across the country
+ First Nations Declaration of Rights at the UN (not only opposed, but tried to influence other states into not signing this historical document that recognizes indigenous peoples' rights across the globe)
+ Medicinal marajuana
+ Assistance funding envelopes for museums
+ Pensions
+ Arts

OK, for more on what the Tories find offensive you can read an earlier post from my blog.

From the intervention in Ottawa today, the CBC reported yesterday:

Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, actress Wendy Crewson and Brian Anthony, CEO of the Directors Guild of Canada, will be among those appearing before the Senate committee on banking, trade and commerce, asking for changes to Bill C-10, an omnibus bill proposing a host of amendments to the Income Tax Act.

"These clauses are an attack on freedom of expression and will destroy film financing in Canada," Crewson said in a news conference ahead of her presentation.

Part of the Tories' controversial legislation would allow the Canadian Heritage department to refuse tax credits to Canadian film or TV productions, even if federal agencies such as Telefilm and the Canadian Television Fund have invested in the project.