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What's Canadian? Minister to update definition of Canadian film and TV productions – CBC News

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Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is set to review what qualifies as a Canadian film or TV program as part of a move to modernize the country’s broadcast laws.

The definition of Canadian content is at the heart of a bill before Parliament that would make streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ feature a certain amount of Canadian programs and invest in “Canadian stories,” as traditional broadcasters must do.

Critics say the current rules need updating and some programs about Canadian issues — including Amazon’s series on the Toronto Maple Leafs — have not ticked enough boxes to be counted as Canadian.

Disney’s “Turning Red,” which tells the story of growing up as a Chinese-Canadian teen in Toronto and stars Ottawa-born Sandra Oh, did not count as Canadian under the rules. Nor did the much-feted adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” based on the novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood.

But the Canadian Media Producers Association says the rules must ensure that Canadians continue to own the intellectual property rights to their work.

It also wants streaming platforms to be required to give Canadian film and TV makers a greater slice of profits if their work is a success.

“Our Broadcasting Act must ensure that Canada’s independent producers have a fair opportunity to negotiate with content buyers, including streamers, to own, control and monetize the intellectual property that they develop and produce,” said Reynolds Mastin, president and CEO.

In an interview at the National Arts and Culture summit in Ottawa, Rodriguez said “we have to modernize” the definition of Canadian content and he is “open to all kinds of suggestions and ideas.”

The minister said he is speaking to arts and culture ministers in other countries “to look at what they do, and of course we have to adapt it to our country.”

“I will be meeting with the minister of culture of Germany Thursday and this is one of the things I will be discussing and I will do the same with other counterparts,” Rodriguez said.

Advancing Canadian stories

The United Kingdom has a broader definition of British film which includes works focusing on British themes, such as the life of William Shakespeare.

Some experts warn that if the definition of Canadian content is not broadened, it could create a disincentive for studios to invest in Canadian talent if their work doesn’t officially qualify as Canadian. 

Michael Geist, the University of Ottawa’s Canada Research Chair in internet law, said “the current rules are woefully outdated, resulting in policies that do little to truly ‘advance Canadian stories.'” 

Geist said the current system was “little more than a tick-box exercise” which meant that “works by Canadian authors may not count as certified Cancon, whereas productions with little connection to Canada such as ‘Gotta Love Trump’ somehow count as Canadian.” 

“Gotta Love Trump” is a film in support of former U.S.  president Donald Trump, featuring an ex-photographer for the president and a former contestant on “The Apprentice.” 

Bills moving through Parliament

Marvel’s “Deadpool” starred Canadian A-lister Ryan Reynolds and was filmed in Vancouver. Canadian Paul Wernick co-wrote the screenplay based on a Canadian comic book character. 

Yet the film did not qualify as Canadian under the rules of the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office. 

Those rules require a Canadian producer and a Canadian director or screenwriter. Points are awarded for the number of Canadians in leading roles or other key creative positions. Canadians must also feature prominently in production and post-production.  

Once the online streaming bill passes through Parliament, the heritage minister plans to give a “policy direction” to the broadcast regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, indicating how to modernize the definition of Canadian content.

Rodriguez said at the summit he plans to equip the CRTC with more tools to regulate online streaming platforms and digital platforms such as Twitter. He said a “priority” is to “make sure we have a modern regulator.” 

The minister is shepherding two bills through Parliament which would see the CRTC play a key role as a regulator. The online streaming bill, known as C-11 in Parliament, would modernize the broadcast laws to regulate streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime.

The online news bill, C-18, would make tech giants such as Facebook and Google pay for reusing news produced by professional Canadian news organizations. 

“Some critics argue that the CRTC is not responsive to consumers and creators, that it lacks the expertise and resources to deal with the new legislation. Basically, they say that the CRTC doesn’t get the internet,” Rodriguez told the summit. “I hear these concerns.” 

“Government and technology haven’t always worked together so well. But let’s not forget that the CRTC has a long history of supporting Canadian culture,” he added.

He said in an interview he did not think there was a better body than the CRTC to do the job. 

“Do they have all the tools they need? Probably not,” he said. 

“And that’s our job, to provide them with the tools and resources they need.”

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Montreal skateboarders rally to protect skatepark

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Montreal skateboarders rally to protect skatepark

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Ilia Malinin lands 4 quads – and a backflip – to win his third straight Skate America title

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World champion Ilia Malinin won Skate America on Sunday for the third consecutive year, altering his free skate on the fly after an early mistake and punctuating the program with a backflip that had been banned in competition until this season.

The two-time and reigning U.S. champion scored 290.12 points to finish ahead of Kevin Aymoz of France, whose career-best free skate left him with 282.88 points and earned a standing ovation inside Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas.

Kao Miura of Japan, who was second after his short program, finished third with 278.67 points.

“It was a pretty challenging moment for me, just stepping on the ice. I felt way more nervous than usual,” said Malinin, the early favorite for gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. “That may have played a part in the whole program.”

Vancouver’s Wesley Chiu placed ninth in the free skate with a score of 140.08 points, he finished ninth overall with a total of 206.94 points.

The ice dance competition was to be decided later Sunday in the final event of the season-opening Grand Prix. Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Britain had the lead over American world champs Madison Chock and Evan Bates after the rhythm dance.

Malinin and Miura were separated by a mere 0.15 points after their short programs, but it was Aymoz who challenged Malinin for the top of the podium. The 27-year-old from France, who struggled mightily at the end of last season, landed a pair of quads in an error-free program to score 190.84 points — the best of all the free skates — and vault into first place.

Nika Egadze of Georgia was next on the ice but fell on his opening quad lutz and stepped out on his quad salchow, and those two mistakes kept him from medal contention. He wound up fourth with 261.71 points.

Miura, the 19-year-old former world junior champion, landed three quads during a program set to “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” the 1964 musical romantic drama film. But Miura lost points for an under-rotated triple axel and on a step sequence that led into a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination midway through his free skate.

Malinin was last to take the ice, performing a program set to “I’m Not a Vampire” by the rock band Falling In Reverse.

He opened with a perfect quad flip and then hit a triple axel, even though Malinin remains the only skater to have landed the quad version of the jump in competition. Then came the mistake, when he doubled a planned quad loop, leaving Malinin to make changes on the fly over the second half of the program in an attempt to make up the lost points.

After putting his hand down on his triple lutz, Malinin landed a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination before a quad salchow-triple axel in sequence — a pair of huge jumping passes that sent his technical score soaring.

Malinin capped the recovery of his program with a backflip during his choreographed sequence, a move that had been banned until this season because of its inherent danger. It was expected all along but nonetheless sent a roar through the crowd, just as Malinin’s program came to an end and a steady stream of stuffed animals were thrown onto the ice.

“It was really hard for me in the middle of the program to think what I have to do — what I need to do,” Malinin said when asked about the early mistake. “I just went full autopilot through there and I’m glad I made it out.”

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AP sports:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Leclerc wins US Grand Prix and late penalty gives Verstappen 3rd place over Norris in title chase

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Charles Leclerc earned Ferrari its first United States Grand Prix victory since 2018 with a clever start and a commanding drive Sunday, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strengthened his lead in the F1 season championship by finishing third ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Verstappen earned the podium only after Norris was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track to pass Verstappen in the final laps.

Verstappen immediately complained about the move, while Norris insisted Verstappen also left the track. Norris’ pass came after the two drivers had battled for the final podium spot and critical championship points over several laps and Verstappen had stubbornly refused to give ground.

The penalty and fourth place finish cost Norris valuable points in the title chase. Verstappen stretched his championship lead over Norris from 54 points to 57 with five grand prix and two sprint races left.

Leclerc earned his third win of the season and Ferrari pulled a 1-2 finish with his teammate Carlos Sainz in second. Kimi Raikkonen had been the last Ferrari winner at the Circuit of the Americas in 2018.

But the bigger battle was raging behind them as Verstappen and Norris fought over every inch of the final dozen laps.

Verstappen has not won a grand prix since June and Norris has steadily chipped away at his lead as the Red Bull car has faded. Yet Verstappen still stretched his lead by five points over the weekend by also winning Saturday’s sprint race.

Norris will leave Austin knowing he squandered a big chance to gain ground. He had even earned pole position for Sunday’s race.

Verstappen started right beside him, and it was their battle into the first turn that saw both cars run wide, leaving room for Leclerc to pounce on the opening.

The Ferrari driver jumped from fourth and straight into the lead.

Norris complained Verstappen forced him off the track at the start to begin a battle that would be fought over the entire race.

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AP auto racing:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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