Cantcon

October 4, 2017 5:53 AM

The Canadian government has announced a new cultural policy, of which the centrepiece is Netflix. The policy has been attacked as being only a sweet deal for Netflix and - in its call "for developing the business, technology and entrepreneurial skills of Canadian artists and creators" - a profound misunderstanding of the place of art and culture in our society.
posted by clawsoon (21 comments total)

This is a government that seems very easily swayed by tech solutionism - yesterday, CMHC (Canada's policy department for affordable housing) said it is looking to AirBnB as a potential solution to Canada's affordable rentals woes. Never mind that one of the things actually driving the dearth of affordable rentals are the tens of thousands of rental units being rented out by AirBnB as vacation rentals that previously were people's homes.
posted by notorious medium at 6:24 AM on October 4, 2017 [14 favorites]

Neoliberals gonna neoliberal.
posted by theartandsound at 6:55 AM on October 4, 2017 [7 favorites]

notorious medium, but you're not seeing the real benefit of the government paying for those AirBnB rentals for the poor and the homeless: The houses stay in Canada occupied by Canadians for Canada's government money, but the commission goes to Silicon Valley!
Of course, it's only a benefit if you run Silicon Valley, but still.
posted by Laotic at 8:16 AM on October 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

for developing the business, technology and entrepreneurial skills of Canadian artists and creators

Anne of Green Energy.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:58 AM on October 4, 2017 [7 favorites]

Degrassi Junior High Skill Workforce
posted by leotrotsky at 8:59 AM on October 4, 2017 [10 favorites]

Dudley Do-Rightsizing
posted by leotrotsky at 9:01 AM on October 4, 2017 [5 favorites]

im just here for the degrassi jokes
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 9:04 AM on October 4, 2017 [3 favorites]

From the Walrus article (last link in post):

The Massey Report imagined culture as the vehicle of moral and intellectual education. Creative Canada imagines culture as something you stream on Netflix.

posted by Gerald Bostock at 10:51 AM on October 4, 2017 [3 favorites]

The Canadian government, every one of them we ever had, always likes large scale investment by foreign multinationals. Its like going to Walmart instead of the local store - its just so much more convenient. Nothing bad ever happens when you rely on a large multinational right?
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:58 AM on October 4, 2017 [2 favorites]

Successive Canadian governments have attempted to starve the National Film Board - but even so, it has done a great job of making its content available online for mostly-free.

A reinvestment in the NFB would have been a far better deal than relying on Netflix.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:11 PM on October 4, 2017 [13 favorites]

im just here for the degrassi jokes

Always greener…
posted by rodlymight at 12:34 PM on October 4, 2017

The Beach.com-ers
posted by scruss at 2:11 PM on October 4, 2017 [3 favorites]

The Beach.com-ers

I'm assuming one of the shows Netflix is considering is a Beachcombers reboot because why not. But every Canadian show with even a moderate brand name recognition will likely be mooted at pitch meetings. Danger Bay? Street Legal? Red Green? Trouble with Tracy?
posted by Ashwagandha at 4:12 PM on October 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

As I understand it, one of the complaints is that they don't have to produce Canadian content - they just have to produce content in Canada. (Which they were already doing. In fact, they're promising to spend less every year than they were already spending.)
posted by clawsoon at 4:21 PM on October 4, 2017

Danger Bay?

I just listened to the opening credits and immediately remembered everything that I'd forgotten about that show, including my huge crush on Ocean Hellman.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:51 PM on October 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Friendly Giant Corporation
posted by Kabanos at 1:21 PM on October 5, 2017

The Buyout Bids in the Hall
posted by Kabanos at 1:24 PM on October 5, 2017

Kabanos, they be considering a reboot of Traders as well.
posted by Ashwagandha at 3:21 PM on October 5, 2017

They should reboot Made in Canada.
posted by Mitheral at 11:06 PM on October 5, 2017

Or they could just reboot ReBoot.
posted by Kabanos at 7:12 AM on October 6, 2017

oh shit they actually are!
posted by Kabanos at 7:13 AM on October 6, 2017