Protesta alrededor de la Province House NS. Foto: Yann Lobainahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_House_(Nova_Scotia)
Halifax production company takes premier to task over digital tax credit comments
By:Sarah RaeFor Metro HalifaxPublished on Fri Apr 08 2016.
John Wesley Chisholm and the Arcadia Entertainment team want Premier Stephen McNeil to know they do indeed exist.
That was the purpose of Friday’s “existential press conference” at Arcadia’s Quinpool Road offices.
“Yesterday the Premier of Nova Scotia said that we don’t exist, and I’m here to say that we do,” Chisholm, president of Arcadia, said to media surrounded by his colleagues.
The clip he’s referring to shows McNeil speaking to media, talking about the full time, permanent jobs provided by the digital tax credit. When a reporter says that’s exactly what’s said about the film tax credit, McNeil replies “we didn’t see that.”
The film tax credit had been in use for 20 years but was cut last year by the Liberals. In response to protests, a tax credit specifically for digital and animation media was re-introduced, leaving out live-action productions like those Arcadia creates.
One of Arcadia’s most popular programs is Hope for Wildlife, which airs in more than 100 countries and profiles the wildlife rescue of the same name. Hope for Wildlife staff and a few of the animals they care for, including a skunk, were also at the rally.
There are more than 30 full time staff employed by Arcadia, and Chisholm said he’d like McNeil to know many of them have had their jobs longer than he’s had his as premier.
Andrew Killawee, a writer and director, said he’s had his job for 14 years, since before McNeil was an MLA.
“Fourteen years is as full time a job as you can get,” he said. “They exist here in the province and the premier has to own up and either say what he really thinks or he’s got to come clean and have some serious talks with us because we’re in crisis mode.”
Chisholm said he and the rest of the staff just want to get back to doing their jobs, and they need support if they’re going to be able to do that.
“Our roots are here, our shows are here, Hope for Wildlife is not going anywhere,” he said.
“They’re going to keep rescuing 3,000 plus animals a year and we’re going to keep telling those stories to the world, but we need the tools to do it.”
Esta es la primera parte de una serie de entrevistas, que realizaré sobre el tema de la crisis que ha provocado Stephen McNeil en Nova Scotia. Su más terrible plan económico contra la industria del cine. Los recortes de crédito fiscal en la industria del Cine en Nova Scotia.
Chris Brown, nos explica su visión del tema, su obligada estrategia de inmigrar a Toronto. La crisis de #NSFilmJobs. Una triste y lamentable situación para la industria del cine en Nova Scotia.
My opinion is that the government of Nova Scotia had a tax incentive program before April 2015.. which supported the industry, which encouraged the industry, which basically the industries’ 30 years in the making but for the past 20 years had really developed. We had hosted international filmmakers directors and producers which we had won the respect of. We hosted projects that were based in Hollywood. We developed the talents of our technicians, artists and craftspeople. We had a viable industry that for the government, who for every $1 dollar invested $4 dollars would come back into the economy in an average year. In a good year it would be $6 for every $1 they invested. When they decided to change the incentive fund the industry came to a screeching halt because the producers no longer had confidence that they could produce a film or TV show in the province NS with the support of the government. For us we had to move. For 17 years I made a great living in Nova Scotia, that was basically finished in 20 minutes. The decision that was made impacted our lives negatively but at the same time it had some sort of positive effect. We had to move to another province. In another province my talent and experience were looked at, at par with international filmmakers.
Right now there is nothing happening in the industry, There has been no new development. The government has decided not to change their stance on how they administer the new tax incentive fund. The new tax incentive fund is non competitive. That is to say that it can’t compete with any other region in Canada as far as offering the same sort of incentive. Basically the producers are no longer interested in coming to the province and are no longer interested in investing any time or capital in the industry there. It is disappointing because there were 2700 people out of work because of it. There are many families that are basically having to go through a conflict because one parent, say works in the film industry and the other one doesn’t. So that one has to leave to go work in another province, while the other one stays maybe they have kids which isn’t easy for everybody. We have more of an advantage to be able to be mobile.
In our case, we… because our daughter is really young and my beautiful wife takes care of her and takes care of our home-life; we were able to pick up and leave because you know we had no other commitments. That is not the case for a lot of other people as well I was originally born in Ontario, had family in Toronto and have friends. I have other friends and contacts that I made in the film industry that were more than willing to help out. With that support and with a lot of help from certain friends we were able to make a transition. It is still very hard. You know that is a great financial burden we have to suffer for moving. It is not easy. Ontario is not very easy to navigate. It’s more expensive. It is very heavily populated. However there are lots of opportunities. I feel positive for the future. i didn’t necessarily want my daughter to grow up in a big city but if that’s the case, because we had to move,then that is the case. She will still have those ties to Nova Scotia that she has.
I suggest to
Well to my friends and to my coworkers in Nova Scotia, I suggest to, if you can, make a go at it. But if you can’t.. Move move .. Go somewhere your talents are going to be appreciated. Where you can make a living without having to depend on the Nova Scotia government, that does not support arts and culture. Go to place that does. It is a booming business. It is unprecedented that in February that all reports say that is going to be one of the largest years for film and television in Canada. It is unprecedented that anyone report that early in the first quarter of the year. It’s going to be extraordinarily busy. Yeah come a join us in other provinces, where film and TV is supported and there is an incentive for production to partake in the economy.
Asentamientos africanos en Nova Scotia ?. Un capítulo oscuro en la historia Canadiense? Desconocimiento o ignorancia? Desinterés o racismo subyacente? Son estas y más mis interrogantes sobre tan complicado y poco divulgado tema.
Entrada del Africville Museum. Foto Yann Lobaina
Descubrí esta maravillosa historia, gracias al rodaje de la miniserie The Book of Negroes por estas regiones, basada en el excelente libro de Lawrence Hill, del mismo nombre. Gracias, al libro de Lawrence Hill, pasé varios días, buscando en Internet toda la información posible, sobre este tema tan poco divulgado o al menos para mí totalmente desconocido. Hice una gran pesquisa, y descubrí dos cosas de las cuales nadie me había hablado antes.
Que las personas de ascendencia africana han estado viviendo en esta región durante casi 300 años. Habían echado su suerte con los británicos entre 1812 y 1816, quienes le ofrecieron la libertad y la tierra en Nova Scotia. Sus asentamientos, están registrados en varias zonas de Halifax, tales como: Preston, Hammonds Plains, Beechville, Lago de Porter, y el camino Lucasville, así como el área de Windsor y de Shelburne.
Y que a solo 20 minutos de mi casa en Bedford, estaba Africville. En dónde, hace casi 4 años existe un bello Museo ( Africville Heritage Trust) el cual debería ser visita obligatoria para los que pisan Nova Scotia.
Hoy, bajo nieve y a menos nueve grados. Me fui al Museo de Africville (Africville Heritage Trust), quería corroborar todo lo leído en Internet, y compartirlo en mi blog con ustedes, seria mi pequeño granito de arena o nuestro gran apoyo a la comunidad africana tristemente renegada, una manera más humana de entender su diáspora.
Desde que entré, me recibieron con una gran sonrisa y cálida bienvenida dos bellas mujeres afrodescendientes:Tracey McCalum(Assistant to the Executive Director) y Sunday Miller (Director). Nuestro primer contacto visual, fue mágico, al mirarnos nos reímos muchísimo, ambas llevábamos un gorro identifico. Negro tejido con una cinta color marrón y dos grandes botones. Puras coincidencias, que nos hizo romper la gran barrera de comunicación.
Por supuesto, su primera pregunta, Fue, Cómo había llegado hasta allí? Por que medio me había enterado del Museo?. Obviamente, sabían que era extranjera. Con mi inglés a medio andar, entablamos rápidamente una gran y amena comunicación. Les expliqué mis orígenes afrocubanos, y mi interés en el tema de las comunidades negras en Nova Scotia. Les dijé, que ya me había leído cientos de información, pero que solo quería escuchar testimonios. Y poder apreciar el museo por dentro.
Tracey, fue mi guía, excepcional, me explicó todo, con gran pasión, casi con lágrimas en sus ojos, a punto de salir. Es una historia que aún duele. El Museo Africville, es pequeño, bien diseñado, con una excelente exposición, un valioso mapa de recorrido de los primeros asentamientos en Nova Scotia. Es una réplica casi exacta de la Iglesia Bautista Seaview, fundada en 1849. En el interior, los quioscos de audio visuales, fotografías, paneles descriptivos y artefactos cuentan la historia de la comunidad Africville conmemorando la injusticia de esta destrucción y celebrando el fuerte espíritu de que aún perdura.
Valió la pena, salir de casa bajo nieve. Por solo $4.05 dólares Canadienses, pude conocer dos grandes luchadoras afrodescendientes y escuchar de su voz, la triste historia de Africville, lamentablemente, demolida hace más de 50 años y su gente, desalojadas una vez mas. Los reubicaron en las afueras de la ciudad, en barrios totalmente abandonados y muy pobres O totalmente aislados. La gran y triste justificación de ese momento, fue hacer más lugar para la construcción del famoso puente Alexander Murray Mackay, puente que une Halifax con Dartmouth( ciudad de los lagos) ahora. Un lamentable error del que deben estar avergonzados los que cometieron.
Según, me dijo Tracey, y leí en su pagina Web, ha sido un largo y tortuoso camino, reconstruir su legado. Durante más de 25 años, han trabajado duro para lograr un acuerdo. Finalmente, con la disculpa oficial en el año 2010 y la reconstrucción de la Iglesia, comenzaron un nuevo capítulo en la historia de Africville. El Museo es la primera etapa del Proyecto Africville, más tarde se incluirá un Centro de Interpretación.
Como dos viejas amigas, nos despedimos. Fue, un gran momento, emocionante y triste para ambas. Ser inmigrante, o tener raíces de inmigrantes te hace sentir muy vulnerable.
Les recomiendo, leer la multipremiada novela de Lawrence Hill, The Book of Negroes, y buscar la miniserie dirigida y coescrita por Clement Virgo. Así, podrán profundizar sus conocimientos en estos tristes pasajes históricos. También, nos ayudará a unirnos en la gran lucha contra el racismo, la discriminación racial y la intolerancia.
Gracias a mi esposo, Chris Brown, quién fue parte del equipo de filmación de la miniserie, The Book of Negroes, nosotras, tuvimos la gran oportunidad de viajar a diferentes regiones de Nova Scotia, en los cuales se rodó parte de la historia de la miniserie. Sitios impresionantemente bellos, llenos de mágicas historias, de los cuales les hablaré pronto en el próximo post.
Esta no es sólo una historia de Canadá, es una historia de supervivencia, de resistencia arraigada a nivel universal. Conoces otra historia similar en tu región?.Por favor, comparté, es una gran manera de aprender la cultura de nuestra segunda Patria o casa.
