Tories plan to cancel tax credits for 'offensive' films, TV shows
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
Canada's arts community is condemning proposed changes to the Income Tax Act that would allow the federal government to pull financial help for film or television programs that it finds offensive or not in the public interest.
The amendment to Bill C-10 would allow the Heritage Minister to cancel tax credits for such projects, even if government agencies have invested in them.
Representatives from the Heritage and Justice Departments would determine which shows are unsuitable and would be denied tax cuts.
But the organization representing Canadian actors says the changes have grave implications for artists and are morally offensive to modern Canadian society.
Stephen Waddell, the National Executive Director of ACTRA, says the arts community is concerned about who exactly would make the decision as to what would be offensive.
Waddell wonders if the standards are of a modern Canadian society or what he calls the "fundamentalist perspective" that has crept up from the United States.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/MediaNews/2008/02/28/4882498-cp.html

Well, I find MOST movies today offensive.  There is far too much gratuitous violence and gore.  Needless to say I don't go to see them.  However, if I was picking offensive movies, the big Oscar winner "No Country for Old Men" would be one of them.  I also find any movie that has Celine Dion singing in it offensive.  What's "offensive" to one may not be to another.  

I can honestly say I cringe a little when I see closing credits of trash like Keys To The Vip and The John Dore Show with the Government Of Canada logo on it.

Censorship - bad
Absolute freedom to express yourself no matter how shallow and stupid you are - good

Yeah, I used to think like that.

The DGC flew off a letter and got this response...

By the Honourable Josée Verner
Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women
and Official Languages

Bill C-10 and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit

Recent media coverage has speculated about the Government's intention to police the film industry to prevent the production of movies with provocative titles or themes like those in Eastern Promises, Borderline, or Ma fille, mon ange.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Government is deeply committed to freedom of expression and will continue to support the creation of edgy, entertaining Canadian content.

Under the current rules, the creator of a film that includes content that may be subject to prosecution under the Criminal Code could technically still be eligible for a film tax credit under the Income Tax Act.  This is a legal absurdity; a loophole that successive governments-first Liberal, then Conservative-have worked to close.  This is a matter of good housekeeping, consistent with previous policy and what is done in other cultural sectors.

The amendment contained in Bill C-10 is not a new concept. It was first announced in 2002 by former Liberal Finance Minister John Manley and again in 2003 by former Liberal Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. The current government has introduced precisely the same amendment.  It was approved by the current House of Commons with all party support on October 29, 2007. Moreover, four out of ten Canadian provinces have precisely the same wording in their film tax credit regimes.  Three additional provinces employ very similar concepts.

Bill C-10 has nothing to do with censorship and everything to do with the integrity of the tax system. The goal is to ensure public trust in how tax dollars are spent. The modifications in question will affect a very small number of the over 1000 productions that receive tax credits annually.  We will act with great care to ensure there is no adverse effect on film financing practices in the industry.

The movies we go to see at theatres and film festivals will continue to be eligible for tax credits.  The measure contained in Bill C-10 addresses only the most extreme and gratuitous material, not mainstream films such as Eastern Promises, Borderline, and Ma fille, mon ange.

It is the role of government to support the efforts of our artists, creators, and key players in our cultural industries.  Canadians can be assured that we will continue to do so with passion, respect and transparency.

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Staying in bed shouting, oh God! Does not constitute going to church