_TRIBUNE FEATURE SUPPLEMENT Canada’s cultural sovereignty continued from page $2 Trib: Does ACTRA have any kind of Policy that it is pressing the government to adopt? Neil: Yes, we have had one for many years. What ACTRA wants is a Significant public commitment to the Production of programming. We think this should come in the form of direct government involvement, as well as in indirect subsidies for the private industry. We are firm supporters of public broadcasting. Public broadcasting has to be upgraded and expanded; it has to be funded -adequately. And it’s not anymore. The CBC has to be retained, it has to be Strengthened, and it has to be equipped to do more Canadian production. The Private sector is doing a good job at the Moment, it’s ina boom period. But it Might not always be. We have to see how we can build a permanent industry, a lasting industry, rather than by simply funding individual ‘productions. Trib: If you had Mulroney in front of you here for two minutes before he met Reagan, what would you tell him? Neil: I would pose it to him in this way: Look, Brian, we’re concerned you might be fiddling with some of the programs that protect our industry. We're concerned that the government has cut back on its commitments to the production sector, the CBC specifically. We’re concerned that you may be fiddling away with some of these programs in your dealings with the Americans: Let us be perfectly frank. With those programs —allof . them — we’re a long way from having a solid Canadian cultural industry. And this country desperately needs that. The cultural industry is more than an industry. It makes us unique. We’re like lumber in a sense, we're like Mining in a sense, but we’re much GARRY NEIL more fundamental to the existence of our nation. We’re the industry that reflects Canadians to each other, and without a strong cultural sector, the nation isn’t a nation. So far from frittering away some of the programs we have, or cutting back on the CBC’s budget, what we need is stronger commitments to program production. Trib: What support do you have? Neil: It’s very broad. The whole industry, both sides of the table — producers, broadcasters, advertisers, etc. — are all thinking in a similar way. In this industry we are all firmly . opposed to the government’s free trade initiatives, from Basset right through some of the most powerful advertising agencies and down to the people who work the cameras. ACTRA’s position on free trade isn’t just limited to the cultural industry. We are generally opposed to free trade with the USA. ‘We think it will cost Canadians jobs, it will curtail our rights as Canadians to determine our social programs, development programs and all of the kinds of things that make us unique. As a result of that, we have a far broader range of allies. We support the Canadian Labour Congress campaign against free trade. Unfortunately, I am absolutely convinced that a free trade deal will incorporate something about the cultural industries. I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I’m sure it will contain some limitation on our right as Canadians to make decisions on and to support our own cultural industries. sitcoms. Canadian dramas and sitcoms. 4 @ id you know: “e Less than 3 per cent of all prime time hours available to Canadians are filled with Canadian drama including sitcoms. e Fifty-six per cent of those hours are filled with American dramas and e Over the whole broadcast day only 1.5 per cent of all television hours contain © Of all programs on all English-language stations available in Canada during Focusing on peace Greenpeace vs. the militarists Greenpeace is one of Canada’s high-profile peace and environmental organizations. Its direct action tactics and campaigns over the years on issues ranging from Cruise testing to the sealhunt have, depending on one’s point of view, brought it acclaim or notoriety. Like the Greenpeace people or not, when major issues arise, Greenpeace is seldom out of the news. Greenpeace is extremely active in the mainstream Canadian peace movement. For the past three months, Steve Shallhorn has been disarmament coordinator for Greenpeace Canada. Below, he shares his thoughts, and those of his organization, with Tribune readers. Trib: Do you feel that peace is an issue Canadians are interested in? Shallhorn: I really think it continues to be an important issue. The last time some polls were done, after economic issues, peace rated above all other single non-economic issues. That poll was taken after the last federal elec- tion. I don’t think anything has changed since. Peace still continues to be a major issue with Canadians. Trib: If this is in fact so, then the Canadian government, and Canadians as a whole, will have to confront some very specific peace issues. What does Greenpeace identify these issues to be? S: I think the major question that Canada is going to have to deal with right now is the militarization of the North in the context of Canada being a nuclear-weapons free zone. This is where the newest challenges are com- ing from, whether it is the North Warn- ing System, new fighter dispersal air- fields, or nuclear-powered submarines for Canada. In the first two, the Cana- dian government has already taken a position, and on the third, is already well on its way. Canadians are going to have to deal with these. Trib: Are these peace issues more than just peace issues? If, as you say, Canadians are going to have to deal with them, to take a stand, doesn’t it also mean that they will have to demand that the government change its entire foreign policy? S: The foreign policy of the Conser- © vative government is to give the Ameri- cans the benefit of the doubt. However, I don’t think that is in line with Cana- dians’ thinking of what Canada’s foreign policy should be. Most Cana- dians believe that Canada should be a middle power and distance itself from the policies of the superpowers, and try to act as a mediator. Given our geographical, historical and cultural position, that means grea- — ter interaction with the United States. In the current context, it should mean greater distancing from the United States than is currently the case. We hope to focus attention on this change in strategy and the change Canada is involved in, and we hope to do it in the context of making Canada a nuclear-weapons free zone. Trib: You alluded earlier to the ques- tion of Northern sovereignty. Does this mean Greenpeace wants Canada to get out of the NORAD agreement? S: Greenpeace doesn’t have a speci- fic policy really on one alliance or another. Generally it is safe to say that Greenpeace is opposed to Star Wars, opposed to nuclear port visits, and op- posed to the militarization of the North. NORAD is the excuse under which the airfields are being built in Northern Canada, under which the radar systems are being built, and these shortly could provide part of the framework in which Star Wars is being constructed that in- cludes part of Canadian territory. We don’t want Star Wars here, or any- where. Trib: Are you working with other or- ganizations to help focus and bring these questions home to Canadians? S: Yes. Greenpeace is a member of the Toronto Disarmament Network locally and is an active member of the Canadian Peace Alliance. We believe it is necessary to work with other groups so that there is some coordination of activities and some rationalizing of our efforts. Greenpeace is different from other Canadian peace organizations in two major ways. One is that we are both a peace and an environmental organiza- tion. We now have offices in 17 coun- tries. This means that any campaign see GREENPEACE page S4 . =e | © . 66. ee NUCLEAR TESTI, - of? as < Noy prime time, 78 per cent are foreign. © The cultural industries in general are the 11th largest ( Cetin, industry (1982 figures) in terms of revenues generated, and the 6th largest Salaries and wages. Trib: What is Greenpeace doing to get this idea across to Canadians? S: We’re focusing on the issue of nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed warships that dock in our ports. We’re doing this in the context of a nuclear- weapons free Canada. There has been a change over the last five or six years, where the United States has drastically increased its navy to a 600 ship armada. It is adopting a more aggressive and more dangerous maritime policy. As a result, Canadian ports are being used more by American warships, and Canadian ships are increasingly being involved in some of these more provo- cative exercises. i da will generate far © Three million dollars spent on a feature film in Cana | more person-hours of ‘aber than the samé amount of spending in any other industry because it is so labor-intensive. © The arts-related workforce included almost gat 13 ae ae te ‘Ween 1971 and 1981, the arts labor force increased by 7 a cent, Canadian labor force as a whole increased by 39 per cent. in Canada, © Of every dollar in revenue earned by manufacturing companies only 20 cents went to salaries and wages. In the performing arts area, ” Greenpeace takes its Cruise testing Cents of every dollar goes to salaries and wages. protest to the skies. P PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 8, 1987 « S3 E.