I was surprised, nay shocked to read news of the CRTC aiming to raise the required level of Canadian content on our TV screens. Then I read further and realized that their five-year plan for small screen CanCon culminates in only 16.5% of it for domestic airtime.
Only in Canada can you make news by being spineless…
Since Al Howell doesn’t know how to upload a video to his own website (aww, so cute!) I’m happy to host this cautionary QuickTime movie for him.
Note that in so doing I’m not necessarily endorsing the scandal-ridden Liberal Party of Canada, either. If only there was some other choice…
AC:
Was that Albert singing? What a stirring rendition of what will surely become Canada’s next national anthem, once we get this “us versus them” thing out of our heads, of course. Then it will be free guns and booze for everyone!
Ed Miller
Ducking for cover in the brave new world
Thanks, Andrew, for posting that. Harper scares the hell outta me. I was in Massachusetts on 9/11, and left the Mighty USA on Dec. 20/03; Harper would have us all totin’ guns and drinkin’ Bud (bleh), if he could. Funny how a former Reformer-turned-Tory suddenly starts talking about supporting social programs (EH?) when it’s election time. Oh well, I guess Monday night we’ll only confirm how totally stupid Canadians are at voting time.
p.s. I’m NOT supporting the Liberals, either (which leaves only one logical alternative!).
This morning’s Globe carries news that the Green Party of Canada are again being shut out of upcoming televised leadership debates, despite a 400% increase in votes between the 2000 and 2004 elections. Party leader Jim Harris makes the point that TV executives should not have any say in our democratic process, and I’m inclined to agree.
Do democracy a favour and sign the online petition. Looking ahead to what will likely be another Liberal minority government [yawn] I’m seriously considering voting Green myself, if for no other reason than to give ‘em access to more funding next time around…
AC:
I think the Greeners should be allowed to participate, as should any of the fringe party leaders, just to make things fun. I don’t plan on watching the debates this election simply because, as you said, we’re going to end up with a Liberal government, minorty or small majority. As an aside, have you noticed how Layton and Harper are ignoring each other? Another Andrew pointed out to me that the NDP and Tories need each other in order to split the soft Liberal support –fear of a Tory govt drives NDP votes to the Libs, and NDP votes siphon support from the Libs to allow Tories to win. I’m in St Paul’s, so I have the quirky Carolyn Bennett for the Libs and Peter Kent for the Tories. If Kent knocks on my door, I’m going to pretend to confuse him with his brother Arthur and ask him about scuds….
Ed Miller
Hey Ed,
While I can’t really argue the Greens ‘fringe party’ status in Canada, other members of the international Green Party actually hold seats of power in Germany and the USA. Something to think about if you buy into that ‘global village’ thing…
Calling all Canucks… You’ve probably heard about the National Quiz that we as a nation collectively failed; why not take it yourself and post your results here?
I’ll shamefully admit that I only got 13 out of 20, but at least I passed. 
I scored 17 out of 20 on the Canada Quiz.
read it and weep.
Canada Day Quiz Results
You scored 16 out of 20.
Wow! You’re in line for an Order of Canada. Your wit, charm and deep knowledge of this country’s history will entertain everyone at your Canada Day barbecue!
I got 15!
You scored 11 out of 20.
Smarter than the average Canadian! You get an extra hot dog and slice of cake at the Canada Day barbecue.
Man, I suck! Mr. Dressup must be spinning in his grave.
You scored 18 out of 20.
Wow! You’re in line for an Order of Canada. Your wit, charm and deep knowledge of this country’s history will entertain everyone at your Canada Day barbecue!
I have to say it’s a little unfair, it was both me and my wife working on it and we live in Ottawa.
For the record, yours truly would’ve scored better if he knew the difference between bannock and pemmican…
Last but not least
Canada Day quiz
You scored 17 out of 20.
Hadn’t checked in for a while. Should have chosen pemmican since I remember bannock was “bread-like” eh.
As a kid I remember watching ads on TV (usually around dinnertime) exposing the brutal slaughter of seal pups each spring. I thought Greenpeace et al had taken care of things, but apparently it’s still going on—in fact, the 2005 “hunt” starts today, and because of growing government subsidies could turn out to be the biggest ever!
So what can you do? Well, for a start, just click on the image above or this link to join some 70,000 others in a petition that will be sent to Parliament.
Ever notice how much a baby seal looks like a Barbapapa?
Yeah, but not so much when they’re all bloody and gutted…
I missed that episode.
u ppl dont get it the seal hunt is a way of life for millions, we dont all live in rich areas with fancy homes some of us live in poverty stricken areas where seal hunting is a way of life, some ppl live off the lanf because they have been forgotten by the governement and unemployment is through the roof, u ppl nvr seem to realize that side oh its crule this and that ye, it wont be scruel when a hundred thoughsand newfoundlanders go hungry for winter and can support ehir families
You make a valid point, but I bet we’d all take you a lot more seriously if you didn’t post as an acronym that stands for “laughing my f**king ass off”.
And so, from here on in comments will be moderated and require a valid email address. Spell-checking couldn’t hurt either…
Somebody asked how much was the seal industry worth. The response was,16 to 20 million.I bet the seal industry is worth tens of millions more,16 to 20 million for the seal hunters and tens of millions more for the animal rights people.The people behind the protests are the last people that want the hunt to end because they would loose a lot of funding.their pay checks.
You need the facts before you can start condemning something that you’ve never been close to. These animal rights activists show up in Newfoundland every year with the same arguments. “They kill little, white, baby seals” and “all they want is the pelts” and “they are beaten to death”. The fact of the matter is that they havn’t been killing “whitecoats” since the 80s and that over 80 pecent are killed by bullet now. The “clubbing” of seals, scientifically speaking is quite humane. It is instant and painless.
These facts don’t mean much to these activists who dig up outdated photos of baby seals every year and get their stupid celebrities to sit next to the baby seals on the ice for a publicity stunt. Then they get on TV or on the radio to start prattling on about all the inhumanity and injustice being done and how us Newfoundlanders are “barbaric”. I’m tired of it and I am sick of listening to lies and propoganda all the time. If you are going to protest, get the facts right first.
I understand that there are a lot of people out there that are against any kind of hunting whatsoever. Also there are a lot of people that will see pictures of the seal hunt. Try to keep in mind that the reason it looks so bad is the massive contrast of red on white. You don’t get to see the inside of a slaughterhouse and all the cattle that are killed, so it doesn’t show up on the radar so much. Just try to understand that it’s been a way of life in Newfoundland for more than a hundred years and it brings in a good percentage of the income for a lot of families who would be very hard off if not for the annual seal hunt.
Ed Miller is discussing. 
Ed Miller 1:13 PM on February 2, 2006 Permalink |
AC:
If the CRTC took the entertainment shows, reality TV, and docs out of the Cancon definition, we’d see more Canadian shows. I’m still amazed that Entertainment Tonight Canada qualifies as Cancon…
Ed