Friday, February 29, 2008

Canadian Evangelist Takes Credit for Film Crackdown

A blogger friend sent me a link to an article in the Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080229.wculture29/BNStory/National/home) which suggests that the posionous urge of Christianists to censor all of society is not limited to the fundamentalist nutcases in the USA. As is typical, they believe that the entire world must live according to their distorted version of Christianity. They care nothing of the rights of others to hold a contrary view and never grasp the fact that they have a simple solution available to them: if you do not like the movie(s) just do not go and see it/them. It's a solution that's plain, simple and does not impinge upon the rights of others to hold differing religious views or views as to what constitutes a good movie. I would further add that from my experience, those who are so rattled by homosexuality and matters sexual are usually the ones who have the severe emotional and psychological issues. Just look at the Southern Baptist Convention and the mushroom number of cases of sexual impropriety by its ministers. I surely hope that the Canadian government reverses this measure. Here are some highlights:
OTTAWA, TORONTO — A well-known evangelical crusader is claiming credit for the federal government's move to deny tax credits to TV and film productions that contain graphic sex and violence or other offensive content. Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, said his lobbying efforts included discussions with Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, and "numerous" meetings with officials in the Prime Minister's Office. "We're thankful that someone's finally listening," he said yesterday. "It's fitting with conservative values, and I think that's why Canadians voted for a Conservative government." Mr. McVety said films promoting homosexuality, graphic sex or violence should not receive tax dollars, and backbench Conservative MPs and cabinet ministers support his campaign.
Mr. Day and Mr. Nicholson said through officials yesterday they did not recall discussing the issue with Mr. McVety. Arts groups say they will fight the change. Director David Cronenberg and other big industry names warned that the edgy, low-budget films that have garnered Canadians international acclaim will be at risk. Conservatives deny that the changes are driven by politics or Mr. McVety, noting the previous Liberal government pledged to review the guidelines as far back as 2003. Conservative MP Dave Batters recently urged the new president of Telefilm Canada, Michel Roy, to block federal funding for objectionable films, listing Young People Fucking as a recent example.
Mr. Cronenberg, whose most recent film was the Oscar-nominated Russian mob thriller Eastern Promises, called the move an assault on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "The irony is that it is the Canadian films that have given us an international reputation [that] would be most at risk because they are the edgy, relatively low-budget films made by people like me and others that will be targeted by this panel," he said. "The platform they're suggesting is akin to a Communist Chinese panel of unknown people, who, behind closed doors, will make a second ruling after bodies like Telefilm Canada have already invested."
"It seems ill-conceived from beginning to end, and is less about censorship than destroying the economic foundation of our entire industry," said Mr. Gero, who shot his debut feature film for $1.5-million with support from Telefilm and other government agencies. "It's old people fucking with the Canadian film industry."

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