Campaign for Canadian Programming

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Another dramatic death! CBC cancels Tom Stone: Click here for more information.

Join our Campaign for Canadian Programming
Send a letter to Sheila Copps

Canadian dramatic television production is in decline. In just 2 years, Canadian-produced dramatic series on our televisions have declined from 12 to just five, and now four with CBC’s recent cancellation of Tom Stone. Not one of those series is in the top-10 most viewed by Canadians. That kind of decline has major consequences for our culture and our jobs.

ACTRA’s Campaign for Canadian Programming is about lobbying government and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to change the regulations that have led to this decline in TV drama.

You can help ACTRA fight for Canadian dramatic programming. Maybe you already have – by sending a letter to your MP from our website. If so, thank you.
Now, we are asking ACTRA members to send a letter to Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Hon. Ms. Copps has been the minister responsible for Canadian Heritage throughout the decline in Canadian TV drama. Write to Sheila Copps and tell her to act now to save Canadian
dramatic programming.

Click here for information...

Send a letter to Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, by MAIL, fax or email:

1. Click Word icon for a sample letter to Sheila Copps. It will open a Word document on your screen.

2. Type the date and your name and address at the bottom of the letter. (Edit the letter if you wish.)

3. Print out your letter and mail it to:

Honourable Sheila Copps
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6

THANK YOU!

Send E-mail to Sheila Copps here:

To: Copps.S@parl.gc.ca

Your Name: (REQUIRED)
From:

Your E-mail Address: (REQUIRED)
E-mail:

Honourable Sheila Copps
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6

Date:

Dear Ms. Copps,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the disregard the Federal Government demonstrates toward Canadian Culture in the form of television drama. Television drama is critically important to any nation. It is the most powerful cultural medium in contemporary industrialized countries, a means by which a society passes along its beliefs and values to new citizens and the next generation. We need television programs that reflect the uniqueness of our country, our diversity, our values and our creativity.
 
In 1999, there were 12 one-hour Canadian television drama series produced in English. Now there are only four. The 2003 Federal Budget cut to the Canadian Television Fund will only hasten this decline further demonstrating the Government's disinterest in our country's cultural independence. As the Minister responsible for Canadian Heritage, I call on you to act in order to save Canadian dramatic programming.
 
As you know, the 1999 CRTC Television Policy adopted a definition of 'priority programming' that de-emphasized first-run Canadian drama. Drama was lumped in with much cheaper programming, such as entertainment magazine shows and reality programming. The 1999 Policy also removed expenditure requirements for Canadian broadcasters. Without these, broadcasters were free to meet their Canadian content obligations by resorting to the cheapest possible programming.

The effect of these changes has been profound. Canadians no longer see their experiences reflected on television and the broadcasters are failing in their obligation to produce Canadian stories. These policies have not resulted in support and encouragement of Canadian dramatic content, nor have they been successful in building a healthy domestic industry. Instead, Canadians get fed a diet of U.S. drama programming.

ACTRA (The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is spearheading a campaign to save Canadian television drama and help protect Canadian culture. ACTRA is recommending that the CRTC revise the television policy and institute a specific quota that requires each large private broadcaster to program a fixed number of primetime hours per week of original Canadian content television drama, as well as an obligation to spend a minimum level of revenues on these shows.

You have been the Minister responsible for Canadian Heritage throughout this decline in the production of dramatic programs. I am counting on you to act to save Canadian dramatic programming. If you do not reverse this trend soon, I fear we'll lose our capacity to tell Canadian stories through the most influential cultural medium - television.

Sincerely,

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