My thanks to Senator Elaine McCoy (PC-Alberta) for the link regarding ominbus bill C-10.

Senator McCoy says she has received 147 responses and counting. Good on Canadians!

Secondly, if you were looking for a way to camouflage a new cadre of culture cops, Bill C-10 is a great choice. It primarily addresses tax havens. Tax lawyers and accountants have been fighting these provisions for the past 8 years. Needless to say, the Senate’s Banking Committee focussed on that aspect of the Bill (in fact, it has facilitated off-line negotiations with Finance to try to resolve the conflict; matters are still pending in committee as a result).

Of the Bill’s 281 clauses, only two of them deal with film tax credits. Originally announced in November 2003 as measures to streamline administration, they were intended to clarify what constitutes Canadian content. The Harper government, however, slipped in an additional qualification, namely that “public financial support of the production would not be contrary to public policy”. It is these 13 words, out of literally thousands in Bill C-10, that are causing the public outcry against censorship. Quite rightly, too, in my opinion.

The bill has been sent back to committee. Write your Senator.