profile II book quark 5
11/28/05
1:04 PM
Defence deals with the protection of a land mass, Culture and Communications deals with the sovereignty we already have through our identity. “It’s the element of culture that speaks to our values and heritage and who we are as Canadians, so that it is another vital element in the definition of our national sovereignty.” The Minister asserts that Canada gained complete exemption for its cultural industries in negotiations with the U.S. on Free trade and NAFTA, and that this allows institutions like the Canada Council to continue without risk of countervail of the subsidies it provides to Canadian artists. In Canada, where the penetration of foreign books and magazines, foreign films and sound recordings is higher than any other country in the industrialized world, it is not xenophobic to defend the means of maintaining what is especially ours. To protect the Canadian Film industry, for instance, Mr. Beatty is eager to act on the Film Importation Bill tabled by Flora McDonald, but never passed. He would like to separate the American and Canadian film markets in terms of distribution. “Today when the distributors purchase the American rights, they usually purchase the right to distribute in Canada for no added money, as an adjunct to the American market. All the money that flows from distribution flows down to the United States.” The Film Importation Bill would greatly strengthen the Canadian film industry. “My hope would be that we see Canadian film production companies using the revenues they would get from distribution of foreign films in
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Canada to subsidise the production of Canadian films.” The difficulty so far, Mr. Beatty says, has been gaining consensus within the Canadian film industry itself. “I met with members of the industry last spring and I was disappointed to find that this consensus just doesn’t exist today.” When the Film Bill was originally tabled, it was less the Americans than other countries who objected. “It was really coming from other partners such as UK, Australia, New Zealand, who were afraid the provision of our Bill would have an impact on their ability to develop film industries in their own countries.” Mr. Beatty gives the analogy of the book industry, where three out of four books sold are foreign titles. Distribution of foreign titles is for the most part in the hands of Canadian publishers. Revenues from distribution of foreign books go to sustain the publications of Canadian authors, about 75 percent of whom are published in Canada. “We reserve to ourselves the right to make sure Canadian voices can be heard,” he asserts. As he travels across the country in his work as Minister of Communications, Mr. Beatty finds that the Fergus-Elora area is well known for music and art. “If you were able to generate figures for the economic contribution made through the arts and through tourism resulting from the tremendous cultural renaissance that’s taken place in this area, you would see the multiplier effects are enormous.” He encourages the vision of an expansion of Theatre as well, saying, “We are very well
positioned here in terms of location. We’re part way to Stratford and a short drive from Toronto. If we can generate a critical mass of artistic activity, it will give tourists several different things to do and visit.” At 42, Perrin Beatty has 21 years of political experience in many fields. He believes his philosophy and attitudes can all be found in Fergus itself, the town his family helped to shape, and where he carries on the tradition. by John Chalmers, March 1993 UPDATE The Honourable Perrin Beatty left politics and is now President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. Following the 1993 federal election, Perrin Beatty joined a number of private sector boards and worked as a consultant in the field of communications. He was an Honorary Visiting Professor with the Department of Political Science, University of Western Ontario, where he taught a course in Communications Technologies and Public Policy. As well, he wrote a weekly column on government and politics for a major Canadian newspaper. Mr. Beatty was appointed President and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 1995 and assumed his current position with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporterson, on August 15, 1999.
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