producers are much better at making movies than cultural bureaucrats. I know, call me crazy, but it’s true.
CanCon rules for the Canadian movie business are one means of helping create movies and movie stars without spending a lot of tax dollars. That’s all they do. Canadian movies don’t need it to succeed but if government is to intervene to help reward risk, then that’s the best way and means of intervention, and cheaper too.
For public policy, how bad could it be to issue an “initiative” to exhibitors across the country, insisting that 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% of product viewed in Canadian cinemas must be indigenous Canadian product over a period of years. Then stand aside and let the industry do what it does best: sell movies.
Hey, it ain’t that hard. After all, no one, not even Hollywood, knows what sells. Remember rule #1?
How