Censorship is Wrong And So Are Tax Breaks for Porn

April 2nd, 2008

However much we may be offended or even disgusted when a Canadian-made film exceeds our individual comfort level with sexual activity or gratuitous violence, the Government of Canada cannot and should not engage in censorship. However that doesn’t mean taxpayers have to foot the bill.

And that is the crux of the current controversy surrounding Bill C-10, an Act to Amend the Income Tax Act. Now before the Senate, this legislation proposes to deny the film production income tax credit for films that run contrary to public policy, such as those that are pornographic, excessively violent or denigrate a specific group of people.

Film producers aren’t being stopped from making these films … Bill C-10 would just ensure they don’t get a tax break when they do.

In one of the most bewildering displays of partisan hypocrisy I’ve seen, opposition MPs have taken a sudden dislike to this legislation which passed more than five months ago on October 29, 2007. Unanimously. At ALL stages. By ALL parties in the House of Commons.

What’s more, this is the second time the legislation received unanimous sanction by MPs. In the previous parliamentary session, it was passed as Bill C-33 following extensive review before the opposition-controlled House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. On June 5, 2007 the committee heard testimony from witnesses. They heard more testimony on June 7th where, once again, MPs from all parties, government and opposition alike, asked questions and studied the legislation. On June 12, 2007, those MPs engaged in clause-by-clause consideration whereby each clause or groups of clauses were approved.

It was a thorough examination with dozens of amendments proposed, some which passed, and the bill was sent back to the House amended on June 13th. It passed report stage and third reading unanimously on June 15, 2007.

If you’re wondering why I’m offering such a detailed history of this legislation’s progress through Parliament, you should know that opposition MPs are now claiming they had no idea that a measure to restrict the film production tax credit was even in Bill C-33 or C-10. They’re accusing the government of “sneaking it in” as part of a hidden agenda of censorship.

These opposition MPs either have short and selective memories, or they’re negligent for failing to read legislation they themselves approved. Worse, the move to restrict the film production credit was first proposed by the former Liberal government in 2003. Yet former Liberal Cabinet Minister Mauril Bélanger is suddenly outraged by what he calls new ‘Conservative guidelines’.

I am highly confident that the overwhelming majority of my constituents support this measure. I recall the flood of angry phone calls and letters from Prince George-Peace River residents in 1998 when they learned taxpayers had funded the movie, Bubbles Galore, a porn flick starring an American x-rated porn star.

It’s actually been suggested that Bill C-10 is offensive and that it will undermine efforts to support Canadian culture and art. Well I’m positive that taxpayers in my riding would be offended to see their hard-earned tax dollars used to finance tax credits for films like the 2007 Canadian production, “Young People F---ing”!