OTTAWA, MARCH 8, 2023 —The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today commended the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriquez, for his support of key Senate amendments to Bill C-11 that recognize the vital role independent producers play in Canada’s broadcasting system and ensure that they can significantly and equitably control and benefit from their own stories.

The CMPA also commends the Minister for rejecting an amendment that would reduce the diversity of programming made available to Canadians in genres such as documentary and children’s programming.

“It has been a long road, but the finish line for Bill C-11 is in sight, and we thank Minister Rodriguez, NDP Heritage Critic Peter Julian, MPs and Senators for their commitment to studying this Bill and continuing to amend it to achieve its fundamental objectives,” said Reynolds Mastin, President and CEO, CMPA. “We have long called for the government to level the playing field between foreign streaming services and domestic producers, creators and broadcasters and while these are positive developments that bring us closer to that goal, we remain at a critical juncture in Canada’s broadcasting system and it’s important that we get it right.”

The CMPA remains concerned about a provision in the draft legislation that will create a two-tier system, holding foreign streamers to a different standard than Canadian companies, and which could result in foreign services using fewer Canadian creators in productions that would count as Canadian content.

This flaw must be addressed to prevent permanent and irreversible damage to Canada’s cultural industry.

The CMPA continues to urge lawmakers to pass Bill C-11 with language that keeps Canadians and their interests at the centre of our broadcasting system, and establishes the foundation for a regulatory framework that ensures a thriving Canadian production sector for decades to come.

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ABOUT THE CMPA
The Canadian Media Producers Association is the national advocacy organization for independent producers, representing hundreds of companies engaged in the development, production, and distribution of English-language content made for television, cinema, and digital media channels. We work to promote the continued success of the Canadian production sector and to ensure a bright future for the diverse content made by our members for both domestic and international audiences. cmpa.ca. cmpa.ca

For more information:

Gamiela Fereg
Senior Manager, Media Relations & Communications, CMPA
gamiela.fereg@cmpa.ca