The Federal Government Wants to Know How They Should Change Cultural Policies. Fill Out This Questionnaire.

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly says that “everything is on the table” when it comes to an upcoming review of Canadian cultural and media policies. What are we talking about? The Broadcasting Act, the Copyright Act, the Telecommunications Act, the CRTC, the CBC, the National Film Board, Telefilm Canada, Canada Council for the Arts and Canada Music Fund. These organizations oversee and regulate Canada’s cultural economy, which is worth about $48 billion to the GDP and upon which 600,000 jobs depend. To put this into perspective, that’s more than fisheries, agriculture and forestry combined.

The last time there was such a review was 1991, years before we started using the Internet and before media became as globally integrated as it is now. And let’s not even talk about things like smartphones. It’s possible–nay, likely–that the changes will be big. Very big.

So what should the government do about Cancon on the radio, streaming fees, the CBC and exporting Canadian culture to the world while protecting it at home? Well, they’re starting by asking us.

Take a few moments to fill out this pre-consultation questionnaire called “Canadian Content in a Digital World.” This will give the feds a place to start.