Producers to meet with Ottawa on film funding plan

Groups representing Canada's film and television producers are meeting government officials in Ottawa Monday to find out the rationale behind a planned overhaul of a key federal tax credit program.

Sandra Cunningham, chair of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, says she wants federal officials to explain the motivation behind the plan.

The proposed amendment to Bill C-10 would allow the government to deny tax credits to productions deemed to have offensive content.

The federal heritage minister would have the right to cancel funding for projects that are deemed to have crossed the line, even if arms-length agencies such as Telefilm or the Canadian Television Fund have invested in the production.

Cunningham says she fears the amendment is motivated by a political agenda and wants the government to explain why such a proposal is needed.

There are already numerous safeguards in place to ensure appropriate content of Canadian programming, she said.