Senators stand against film censorship bill
p2pnet news Politics:- | Movies:- Canadian heritage minister Josée Verner (right) wants a bill which would give the Conservative government power to censor new Canadian movies.
Under it, made-in-Canada films whose content might lead to prosecution under the Criminal Code would be refused public money, although foreign films made here wouldn’t be affected.
However, Liberal senators Francis Fox and Wilfred Moore say they and their colleagues will use their Senate majority to amend the bill, “that would alter guidelines for which films and TV shows receive federal tax credits – even though the House of Commons passed it as part of a confidence measure,” says the Toronto Star, going on:
“Dozens of witnesses – including such celebrities as director David Cronenberg – have in recent months appeared before the Senate standing committee on banking, trade and commerce to condemn Bill C-10, which would give the heritage minister power to deny tax credits retroactively for productions ‘contrary to public policy’.”
“All [the witnesses] agreed Bill C-10, in its current form, would have a devastating impact on the Canadian film industry,” said Fox, quoted in the Vancouver Sun.
“Critics of the bill say it has two major problems,” says the story, “it is a form of government censorship and it poses a risk to the business model of film producers.”
“We are looking forward to seeing the amendments,” the story has Verner spokesman Dominic Gosselin stating, adding:
“First we will see [them], after that we will take action on this.”
When news of Harper government censorship bill first broke, “People should be free to say anything,” Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee told young film-makers in Vancouver.
He pointed out he wasn’t censored in making the film about gay cowboys, ’shot in Alberta, but, “Heritage Minister Josee Verner reacted to the speech by calling Lee’s statements ‘completely erroneous’,” said the CBC at the time.
The Fox-Moore amendments could result in an election if Harper decides they represent confidence motions.
.
.Stumble It!
Toronto Star – Senators vow to fix film rules, June 19, 2008
Vancouver Sun – Senate proposes major changes to film tax bill, June 19, 2008
told young film-makers – Ang Lee lashes out at Bill C-10, April 21, 2008
CBC – Brokeback Mountain director warns Bill C-10 means censorship, April 21, 2008
Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It’s really easy!Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile – http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php
Net access blocked by government restrictions? Use Psiphon from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Go here for details. Download here.
June 19th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Josée Verner and Jim Prentice…destroying canada…one digital step at a time.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:03 am
June 19th, 2008 at 7:32 am
What about making an electoral banner around this slogan?
Photos of Prentice and Verner,
slogan above: DESTROYING CANADA
slogan below, smaller font: one digital step at a time
June 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am
“slogan above: DESTROYING CANADA
slogan below, smaller font: one digital step at a time”
I love it! We need something like this for the US too!