Canadian actors brought their lobbying campaign for financial and regulatory support back to Parliament Hill on Tuesday, but this time they had their eyes on the incoming government of Paul Martin as much as on the outgoing one of Jean Chretien.
"In a very short time there are going to be some new people running this country — new people with new ideas," said Wendy Crewson.
"It's a chance for a fresh look at the issues."
ACTRA, the union representing Canadian actors, has been lobbying for more cash for the Canadian Television Fund, which supports home-grown dramatic productions.
They also want the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to institute regulatory changes that would boost Canadian drama.
The last round of lobbying in May included an hour-long meeting with Martin and some of his advisers, at which the former finance minister noted that when he held the portfolio he resisted bureaucratic effort to cut the television fund.
"I think we certainly have his sympathies, and I think that bodes well for the future," said Paul Gross. "But there are an awful lot of things that have to happen."
An ACTRA official who attended the May meeting said that although Martin was receptive he made no concrete commitments and the participants didn't discuss details of future programs.
The actors were to meet Tuesday with CRTC officials and with members of the House of Commons finance committee, currently gathering ideas for potential use in the next federal budget.
The federal television fund became an issue last spring when John Manley, the current finance minister, slashed $25-million from its budget for this year.
Heritage Minister Sheila Copps later claimed the money would be restored, but the best Manley would do was advance the fund $12.5 million that had originally been earmarked for next year.
ACTRA wants the fund maintained at $100 million a year and, if possible, boosted by an additional $20 million.
It wants the CRTC to consider incentives and regulatory rules that would tie support for Canadian drama to licence renewals for the country's broadcasters.
Without those kinds of changes, said Rick Mercer, Canadian dramatic productions — which have dropped from 12 prime-time shows to four over the last four years — will continue to wane.
"We are about to complete a distinctly Canadian surrender of our prime-time television schedule," said Mercer.
"If we do not change course right now we believe that Canadians will be watching Americans 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on virtually every single television channel they can click to."
