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TAXPAYERS abused
Petition published by Brian Rushfeldt on Mar 10, 2008
Closed on Nov 30, 2009
Closed on Nov 30, 2009
3893 Signatures 
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Target: taxpaying public
Region: Canada
Web site: http://www.familyaction.org
Result:
Thanks to opposition of giving your tax dollars to produce films that are questionable content and of no value to the good of society the government has reviewed who gets funded. And Telefilm will be monitored no more closely.
Petition Background (Preamble):
It has come to the attention of Canadian taxpayers that a number of films of dubious content have received tax dollars either in the form of substantial tax credits or grants.
Telefilm Canada - an agency that has a large budget under the Heritage Ministry funneled $158 million dollars of a nearly $200 million budget to applicants for various "arts and culture" projects. This includes some TV shows and films. The tax credits applied to the “arts” is substantially higher approaching perhaps $800,000 – one billion total.
One such film titled "Young People F.....g" which was not even well received at the Toronto Film Festival got your tax dollars. It will likely be a financial failure at the box office. Other examples are "The Masturbators" and “Kiss”( sex with dead bodies). How many other films with content that most Canadians would object to or be offended by have been funded with your tax dollars?
A government's responsibility is to ensure proper use of taxes taken from Canadian families.
The Government proposed Bill C10 -- legislation that would require the Heritage Minister or a committee to set some Canadian decency standards before approving funding. The film industry is outraged about this. Why? Several groups said that not receiving such funding would violate the Charter. The Charter does NOT grant the film industry entitlement to your tax money. That is a socialist entitlement mentality that tax payers reject.
This “arts” industry is also calling any restrictions or standards for their tax supported projects -- "censorship." However, no restrictions are placed on what films may be made. Establishing standards for which films should be considered for tax funding is not censorship.
Telefilm Canada - an agency that has a large budget under the Heritage Ministry funneled $158 million dollars of a nearly $200 million budget to applicants for various "arts and culture" projects. This includes some TV shows and films. The tax credits applied to the “arts” is substantially higher approaching perhaps $800,000 – one billion total.
One such film titled "Young People F.....g" which was not even well received at the Toronto Film Festival got your tax dollars. It will likely be a financial failure at the box office. Other examples are "The Masturbators" and “Kiss”( sex with dead bodies). How many other films with content that most Canadians would object to or be offended by have been funded with your tax dollars?
A government's responsibility is to ensure proper use of taxes taken from Canadian families.
The Government proposed Bill C10 -- legislation that would require the Heritage Minister or a committee to set some Canadian decency standards before approving funding. The film industry is outraged about this. Why? Several groups said that not receiving such funding would violate the Charter. The Charter does NOT grant the film industry entitlement to your tax money. That is a socialist entitlement mentality that tax payers reject.
This “arts” industry is also calling any restrictions or standards for their tax supported projects -- "censorship." However, no restrictions are placed on what films may be made. Establishing standards for which films should be considered for tax funding is not censorship.
Petition:
We the TAXPAYERS are calling on the Senate to pass the legislation (C10) that closely assesses what productions receive tax monies.
Responsible government should not fund arts and culture projects that do not advance or enhance civilized Canadian culture.
Therefore we the undersigned TAXPAYERS:
-petition Canada's government to pass strong regulations with stringent requirements before any "arts" industry projects are given public funds;
-petition the Senate of Canada to act responsibly and pass the Bill C10 which passed Parliament and had passed second reading in the Senate already with no objection until a media story broke;
-petition government to ensure Telefilm Canada guidelines be reviewed and to ensure compliance with the regulations set out by the government of Canada;
-petition Parliament to apply the Auditor generals recommendation of the 2005 report for accountability and control of tax credit allowances.
Responsible government should not fund arts and culture projects that do not advance or enhance civilized Canadian culture.
Therefore we the undersigned TAXPAYERS:
-petition Canada's government to pass strong regulations with stringent requirements before any "arts" industry projects are given public funds;
-petition the Senate of Canada to act responsibly and pass the Bill C10 which passed Parliament and had passed second reading in the Senate already with no objection until a media story broke;
-petition government to ensure Telefilm Canada guidelines be reviewed and to ensure compliance with the regulations set out by the government of Canada;
-petition Parliament to apply the Auditor generals recommendation of the 2005 report for accountability and control of tax credit allowances.
The TAXPAYERS abused petition to taxpaying public was written by Brian Rushfeldt and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition. Contact author here. Petition tags: taxes, funding, arts, billc10, c10
