CCA Bulletin 38/08 - Federal Election 2008 – What to ask candidates when they solicit your vote? (Part Three)

Ottawa, Wednesday, September 17, 2008

In order to assist all those who are preoccupied with the place arts and culture in the current electoral campaign, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) has identified seven broad areas of prime importance for artists, creators, cultural institutions and industries. The CCA has developed a set of questions for each issue: these questions can be asked to all candidates when they come knocking at the door or participate in an all party debate.

The final section of the 2008 Federal Election Doorstep Kit is devoted to the evolution of broadcasting and telecommunications policy and regulation. The next government will likely have to address the need for a new approach to Broadcasting Act and of the Telecommunications Act, acknowledging the new technologies available to Canadians. This legislation will call into question the cultural objectives included in the Broadcasting Act, which defines the requirements for Canadian investment in the development of Canadian programming content, while still establishing a competitive marketplace for these services. As for previous issues covered by the CCA, this set of suggested questions is preceded by a short backgrounder on the issue. We encourage you to disseminate as much as possible the replies you may get, either in writing or in a public forum.

Issue: Broadcasting and Telecommunications in the Second Millennium

When the current Broadcasting Act was passed in 1991, the landscape was considerably simpler. Few specialty channels had been licensed, satellite delivery to homes was an embryonic concept, the internet had not yet invaded our daily lives and the idea of receiving broadcast style content on a wireless telephone was still the stuff of science fiction.

Today telephone, cable, satellite and traditional broadcasting entities are all in competition for an array of services in the same market place. The distinction between broadcasters and distribution services is becoming more blurred every day. The Telecommunications Policy Review Panel noted in 2005 that perhaps it is time to develop a single legislative and regulatory framework for all of these service providers.

The Telecommunications Act does not speak to Canadian content requirements nor does it require that service providers invest in the development of Canadian content. The Broadcasting Act requires entities licensed under the Act to comply with an extensive set of cultural objectives including investments in the development of Canadian programming.

The next government will undoubtedly have to deal with this challenge. How does one create a single legislative and regulatory framework that preserves the cultural objectives of the Broadcasting Act, while maintaining a competitive marketplace for the delivery of services?