No other bill has brought so much uproar to my office over the content of legislation.
Senator Wilfred Moore
Bill C-10, which proposed changes to the Income Tax Act,
received close scrutiny in the Senate due to one of its amendments which would
allow the federal government to cancel tax credits for television or film
productions thought to be offensive or not in the public interest.
In Canada
we support our artists and filmakers through the work of different agencies,
such as Telefilm Canada
and the Canadian Television Fund. Our tax system also provides tax
credits to television and film producers. Under Bill C-10, the Heritage
Minister would be able to deny tax credits for productions he or she finds
“offensive” or “contrary to public interest.”
Liberal senators are firm in
their opposition to any measure that threatens freedom of expression. We
are concerned that decisions about what is “offensive” or “contrary to public
interest” would be in the hands of a political minister. In a democratic
country such as Canada,
public policy cannot be subject to the personal opinions of one
individual.
It is due to the efforts of
Liberal senators that the Senate Banking Committee held hearings on this
serious issue and provided artists, writers, film makers and other defenders of
free speech across Canada
a forum to express their views.