The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, is no stranger to the culture file. He was Minister of Canadian Heritage from 2019 to 2021, and while the job title—and the political landscape—has changed, Guilbeault is still going to bat for Canadian creators in a tempestuous time. He spoke with Indiescreen on the role of government in our “elbows up” moment and what a country can do to protect its cultural sovereignty. In light of the CMPA and Screen Producers Australia’s recent joint initiative to bring Canadian and Australian producers together through Canada Connect, we also asked the minister about the importance of teaming up with like-minded nations such as Australia.

From travel planning to grocery shopping, Canadians across the country have been very supportive of Canadian businesses, and more broadly, standing up for our national industry and cultural sovereignty. What role do you believe the media and creative industries can play in this moment of national pride, and how can government assist?

In this moment where Canadians are rallying around what makes us strong and proud, the media and cultural industries are key. Culture is not only an expression of who we are; it’s a core pillar of our sovereignty and economic strength. When our stories are told, our values are carried, and our sovereignty is affirmed.

That’s why our government is using every lever available to ensure that Canadian identity and culture thrive: by supporting our creators, strengthening our official languages, promoting Indigenous knowledge, and investing in initiatives like the Canada Strong Pass, which gives Canadians greater access to our national parks, railroads, museums and historic sites this summer. These places and experiences are what bring us together, and they’re living embodiments of Canadian identity and pride.

We believe that cultural policy is economic policy, and through targeted investments, updated legislation, and incentives for domestic and international co-productions, we are ensuring that Canadian culture is not only protected, but promoted, at home and abroad.

Canada has nearly 60 co-production treaties and memoranda of understanding with other nations, and Canadian producers have a strong track record of working across borders with producers in other countries to get projects developed, produced, sold and seen. What role do you see government playing to ensure creative export of Canadian content remains strong and continues to grow?

Canada’s cultural sector is stronger when it is connected—not just coast to coast to coast, but also globally. Our co-production agreements are more than paperwork; they are creative bridges. Our government remains committed to deepening these partnerships, especially with like-minded countries such as Australia.

We need to work together to tackle today’s challenges in a fast-changing world, such as artificial intelligence and algorithmic biases. Canada has been a leader at international fora like UNESCO, the G7, the OECD and the OIF in pushing for a fair, diverse and transparent digital cultural space.

By supporting Canadian content creators through export-ready programs, increasing international promotion via Telefilm and the Canada Media Fund, and leading coordinated action on international cultural policy, we are ensuring that Canada’s voice is heard at home and abroad.

How do you think Canadian content resonates with global audiences?

Canada has a lot to offer to the world. Our country reflects a diversity of experiences and values that are meaningful to many beyond its borders. Our country is home to Indigenous creators, newcomers, artists from all corners of the country, and voices in both official languages. That breadth of experience and unique identities shapes the stories we tell.

Whether it’s the powerful drama Maid, filmed in Victoria and showcasing the rugged beauty of the West Coast; original Québec productions like Révolution, La famille Plouffe and Les Parent, all created here and now adapted and loved in numerous countries around the world; The Place That Thaws, an Indigenous-led podcast from Canada’s High Arctic; or Ontario’s singer Shania Twain, the bestselling female solo artist of all time and creator of the highest-selling country album in history—Canadian content connects us, emotionally and culturally. We’re proud to see this content being seen, consumed and resonating with audiences around the world.

“Our intention is clear: we want to ensure that Canadian stories are seen, heard and valued on all platforms.”

The passing of the Online Streaming Act in 2023 was a significant step toward modernizing Canada’s broadcasting framework. As the CRTC’s regulatory implementation of this legislation moves forward, what is your hope for how this bill will impact Canadian stories told on screen?

Our intention is clear: we want to ensure that Canadian stories are seen, heard and valued on all platforms.

The Online Streaming Act will make sure Canadians can see themselves in the stories and music available in the new online reality, and will reinvest in future generations of artists in Canada. Online streamers are being asked to contribute to Canada’s cultural sector’s sustained success and to support our talented creative and media sectors to ensure they have a real and fair chance to succeed now and in the future.

When our artists shine, it’s Canada that shines. This bill ensures they have the spotlight they need.

Canada and Australia share similar challenges and values when it comes to supporting national content. How can our two countries strengthen collaboration, whether through co-productions, policy alignment or knowledge exchange, to help bring more of our stories to the world stage?

Countries’ cultural sectors are stronger when they are connected—both domestically and internationally. Through co-productions, shared regulatory dialogue and strategic export programs, countries like Canada and Australia can reinforce each other’s cultural sovereignty while amplifying the global reach of our creators. Strengthening collaboration across borders ensures that our stories—diverse, inclusive and grounded in our identities—are not only produced but seen and celebrated worldwide.

“Cultural sovereignty means making sure our creators can not only produce their work but also be fairly compensated and discovered by audiences at home and abroad.”

Like Canada, other mid-sized English-speaking countries, such as Australia, are looking to develop their own solutions to ensure US-based streaming companies don’t inundate their markets with US shows and movies at the expense of domestic content. Given your experience with the Online Streaming Act, what advice would you give to other jurisdictions trying to safeguard their cultural sovereignty?

Cultural sovereignty means making sure our creators can not only produce their work but also be fairly compensated and discovered by audiences at home and abroad.

Our country produces incredible content—in English, in French and in Indigenous languages—and that’s why we adopted one of the first laws in the world to ensure that online platforms contribute fairly to our creative sector.

These measures are rooted in the belief that our cultural sector isn’t just a reflection of who we are—it’s also a driver of economic growth, democratic sovereignty and international influence.

Our approach focuses on levelling the playing field, so Canadians can see their stories told and hear their voices represented. This means supporting Canadian artists and creative industries; advancing Indigenous storytelling; increasing representation of equity-seeking groups; ensuring regulations are equitable, fair, and flexible; and redefining Canadian programs to reflect today’s media landscape.

We also believe in a strong, well-funded public broadcaster. Since its creation, CBC/Radio-Canada has been an essential tool for protecting Canadian stories that are central to our national identity, our cultural sovereignty, and Canadians’ ability to discover and consume Canadian content. In a sea of American media and disinformation, we need Canadian voices more than ever. That is why our government is committed to strengthening our national public broadcaster, so CBC/Radio-Canada continues to deliver reliable news and information that is crucial to an informed public and a well-functioning democracy.

How it’s done down under

Canada and Australia’s production industries have plenty in common: top-shelf film crews, diverse and stunning scenery, robust production infrastructure, large English-language audiences. They also face some of the same challenges, particularly with adapting legislative and regulatory frameworks for the digital age in the face of global streaming giants. Against the backdrop of the CMPA’s partnership with Screen Producers Australia, we reached out to the office of The Honourable Tony Burke, Minister for the Arts in Australia’s current Labour government, to hear how they’re handling cultural sovereignty and supporting homegrown stories down under.

The linchpin in Australia’s strategy is its National Cultural Policy, called Revive. Established in 2023, Revive recognizes the role of the screen industry in supporting the nation’s cultural expression, and aims to ensure its stories reach audiences in Australia and around the world. Crucially, the policy includes a commitment to introduce Australian content requirements on streaming platforms. Minimum levels of Australian content are already required by Australia’s commercial television broadcasters and national broadcasters (ABC, SBS and NITV).

In the early 2010s, before today’s streaming platforms had taken hold, Burke glimpsed a future where people watched the internet through their TV. He has been arguing for policy reform ever since. “It’s taking longer than I wanted, but I know we need this to ensure our stories are always on our screens,” says Burke.

The Labor government has undertaken a consultation process to consider how best to support the production of Australian stories and to ensure that it gets the new obligation right.

“Screen quotas are not just about jobs. They’re about culture,” says Burke. “They’re about the relationship between the person sitting on the lounge and then what they see on the screen. I want people to see themselves, their neighbours, to learn about their country, and as an added bonus, this is also how the world then comes to know us.”

In 2024–25, the Australian federal government invested a record $1.2 billion in the screen sector through direct funding or incentives. Australian production companies receive indirect support through production incentives. And Ausfilm, a government-industry partnership, works to market Australia as a world-class production destination.

With so much in common, it’s not surprising that Canada has become Australia’s most active partner country in international co-productions (their co-production treaty was signed in 1990). Stuff the British Stole, a co-pro between Canada’s Cream Productions and Australia’s Wooden Horse and WildBear Entertainment, is one recent example. It won Best History Documentary Program or Series at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards. Canada and Australia teaming up behind the scenes? Sounds good to us.