We’ve talked a lot about what the Canadian government does wrong with Canadian culture, so let’s dive into what they could be doing right.
We’ve talked a lot about the many many blunders the Canadian government has done. From pushing link taxes that has caused chaos in the news sector to the Online Streaming Act that cuts down innovative Canadian digital first creators, and even banning TikTok (the company, not the platform), the Canadian government has had a continuous streak of really bad decisions that actively harms Canadian culture today.
While it’s easy to point out the endless blunders the Canadian government has made and analyzing the consequences of each successive blunders, I wanted to, instead, do a write-up about an alternate reality where the Canadian government, well, knew what the heck they were doing and acted on actual logical steps moving Canadian culture forward.
Now, I will preface this piece by pointing out that I’m sure there are plenty of other angles to approach this. I’m not saying this is the only way the government could be helping, but rather, float ideas on ways the Canadian government could be helping Canadian culture.
So, let’s rewind all the way back to 2015 (yes, that’s nearly a decade ago). That is when Trudeau became Prime Minister and had his famed “sunny ways” walk. After going through the process of picking people to fill his cabinet, while dealing with other non-tech related things, what’s the first step Trudeau could have taken?
I’d say he would make an announcement signalling where he is taking things when it comes to online activity. That announcement would involve how the way consumers consume content has changed. As such, the Canadian government is going to do what it takes to ensure that producers of Canadian content are in a great position to compete on the world stage – whether they are acting on behalf of legacy media companies or are starting up a channel on a social media platform. More details to follow.
My reaction at the very least would be that, OK, we’re off to an interesting start. I’d be curious what those details are, but I’d be intrigued about what the Canadian government has in store. While the Throne Speech wouldn’t necessarily contain any new details, it would reinforce those plans for big things to come.
Fast forward a few months into 2016, some of those details would get released. The announcements include creating a new funding program for digital first creators. The program would feature a suite of programs including training for up and coming digital first creators. It would also contain programs fostering existing creators with programs and incentives to help them go from being a single person creating video’s to becoming small businesses. For already successful businesses, announce incentives to hire Canadian’s to fill various roles including tax credits (where necessary of course as there are probably some tax incentives that already loosely fits the bill).
At the same time, for legacy media companies, announce programs that can help them transition to the digital environment. Those programs can help those companies set up their own website, help out with training programs on marketing online. For companies that have already made the digital transition, announce that the Canadian government will be partnering with private companies to create a whole new platform for video content and other kinds of content. This will ensure that Canadians can collectively turn to a home grown platform to consume content complete with advertising opportunities for small businesses while knowing that they are consuming Canadian content. Announce that this platform will be built to allow Canadian content creators of all shapes and sizes to be a part of.
At this point, I’d be pretty excited because I could see so many opportunities for Canadian creators. I might even think that the Canadian government actually wants to make Canada an innovation and creative powerhouse.
Obviously, this is a huge undertaking and the Canadian government would want to get this right. So, after floating these plans throughout 2016, announce that there will be consultations on this throughout 2017. This would be successive consultations so that all stakeholders would have a say on matters. One round could be on what digital first creators need to succeed and what various effective programs would look like. Another consultation would be on how legacy media companies could best benefit from programs that help them respond to the digital age that we live in. Other topics could be brought up as well such as how to include media companies and written publications.
At this point, not only would I be really excited, I’d be wondering how much I could benefit from such programs. I’m sure many in the creative and news sector would be quite excited about such a program as well, not just me.
So, 2018 rolls around, consultations are over, and the government gets to the business of crafting the legislation. This obviously takes time and would require multiple bills (so that each part of the plan could be looked at and studied cleanly). By the end of 2018, one bill would be tabled. I would guess that this would be the part about helping legacy media companies (you know, because they have the lobbying apparatus to push for something that benefits them).
In early 2019, that first part of the legislative effort gets moved forward while other elements of the plan (such as programs to help digital first creators which includes changes to the tax code) gets tabled. By the Summer of 2019, all parts of the legislative plans to move Canada forward have been tabled while some parts have moved ahead in the legislative process. Debate about amendments continues for all parts of the plan. By the Fall, at least one part of the legislative plan moves to committee for further study. Witnesses could be called and tweaks to that part of the plan could be floated by experts and stakeholders.
By the end of 2019, some parts would make it to committee for study. Maybe not all elements would make it that far, but some parts would be getting to committee.
2020 would then roll around and while some parts of this legislative plan might make it out of committee, others will be entering committee for study. Again, stakeholders and experts could be brought forward to discuss how creators of all shapes and sizes could be helped by the programs envisioned. This while discussing how the Canadian government could play a role in the creation of a massive platform to explicitly benefit Canadians (i.e. how does a platform avoid the pitfalls of existing platforms? What should the government look for when it comes to partnerships in the private sector to make it all happen?).
By the Summer of 2020 parts of the plan will have passed the House of Commons and reach the Senate. By the end of 2020, some parts of the plan might make it to Senate committee for study while others might be going through first and second reading.
In early 2021, parts of the legislation will be making it to the final vote while others are well on the way. This will allow the CRTC (who would likely head up such initiatives in this scenario) to get ready to carry out what mandates they need to carry out this legislation. They will have their own consultations and they would likely be giving signals that they would have consultations on how they should be moving forward with these plans. By mid-2021, the remaining parts of the legislation needed to carry this out will make it out of the legislative process and move towards final votes respectively.
For political observers, yes, there was an election within this timeline. Obviously, the bills would be retabled and pushed through the legislative process which is why I was generous with how long it would take to get this plan through.
At the end of 2021, the CRTC will initiate their first round of consultations on how to carry out this new mandate. These consultations would carry on through 2022 and small parts of the mandate would be finalized by the end of 2022.
In 2023, there will be announcements through partnering organizations to carry through with some parts of the plan while the remaining consultations would take place. These consultations would conclude by the middle of 2023 apart from the element that involves the creation of a Canadian platform (that would take more time to sort out because you are talking about a huge technical apparatus instead of just programs and financial incentives to benefit certain people and individuals).
By the end of 2023, programs would be established for everyone and applications could start being accepted to partake in these programs starting in 2024. Consultations would continue with the platform as well as working out the logistics of such a large project.
We now get to 2024 and people and organizations are already taking advantage of these new benefits and programs. The consultations for the establishment of a Canadian platform conclude by the middle of 2024 and work can begin with figuring out what industry partners could be worked with to start building such a platform to move Canadian culture forward. 2024 concludes with success stories already being shown off through these programs for individuals and organizations, showcasing how much Canada is working to becoming a world leader in digital creative innovation.
By 2025, contracts are signed between government and private sector partners to start building a platform for all kinds of Canadian content. Work would begin on creating a platform that Canadians can use to build their brands. This will take all of 2025 to build, test, and bug fix.
That is how I visualize a major push to put Canadian content creators on the digital map when it comes to innovation. Everyone benefits and it is a forward looking plan.
Now, is there more the Canadian government could do in the interim in all of this? Absolutely. I’d say things like solving the problems of broadband access in rural and indigenous communities, reforming privacy law to at least catch up to the European Union, bringing in better competition in the carrier and internet service provider sector, finding other ways of lowering cell phone and internet costs, and other ways of moving the Canadian digital landscape forward.
If the Canadian government actually gave a damn about moving Canadian culture forward, this is the kind of thing I would expect to be seeing. Support for all who contribute, but in a way that moves the country forward rather than holding the country back. I could go into greater details of what these programs would involve in helping creators, but honestly, the Canadian government wouldn’t care. They never cared much for common sense before and I don’t see them really starting now. We could very easily be entering into a golden age of Canadian culture by now with so much hope and optimism. Instead, we are stuck with bankruptcies and creators thinking that the Canadian government is about to torpedo their careers. What’s more, the Canadian government seems to believe that they did everything right here despite the very obvious blunders that have both already played out and are in the process of playing out. It’s a real shame that the Canadian government doesn’t really care about supporting Canadian culture and, instead, only focuses on propping up the past like it’s still 1980.
