Telefilm Canada Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-16)

Short Title

Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Telefilm Canada Act.

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions

2 In this Act,

Canadian feature film

Canadian feature film and Canadian feature film production[Repealed, 2005, c. 14, s. 1]

Corporation

Corporation means Telefilm Canada, established by section 3; (Société)

film activity

film activity[Repealed, 2005, c. 14, s. 1]

film-maker

film-maker[Repealed, 2005, c. 14, s. 1]

film production

film production[Repealed, 2005, c. 14, s. 1]

film technician

film technician[Repealed, 2005, c. 14, s. 1]

Minister

Minister means such member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada as is designated by the Governor in Council as the Minister for the purposes of this Act. (ministre)

Constitution of Telefilm Canada

Marginal note:Corporation established

3 There is hereby established a corporation, to be known as Telefilm Canada, consisting of six members to be appointed by the Governor in Council as provided in section 4 and the Government Film Commissioner appointed under the National Film Act.

Marginal note:Appointment and tenure of office of members

• 4 (1) Each of the members of the Corporation, other than the Government Film Commissioner, shall be appointed to hold office for a term of five years, except that, of those members first appointed, three shall be appointed for a term of three years and three shall be appointed for a term of five years.

• Marginal note:Chairperson

  (2) The Governor in Council shall designate one of the members of the Corporation to serve as chairperson of the Corporation during pleasure and the chairperson may receive a yearly honorarium to be determined by the Governor in Council.

• Marginal note:Eligibility for re-appointment

  (3) A retiring member of the Corporation is eligible for re-appointment.

• Marginal note:Filling vacancy

  (4) When a member of the Corporation ceases to be a member before the end of the term for which he was appointed, the Governor in Council shall appoint a person to be a member of the Corporation for the remainder of that term.

Marginal note:Eligibility for membership

5 No person who has, directly or indirectly and individually or as a shareholder, partner or otherwise, any pecuniary interest in the audio-visual industry is eligible to be appointed or to hold office as a member of the Corporation.

Marginal note:Remuneration and expenses

6 Each member of the Corporation, other than the Government Film Commissioner or other member of the federal public administration, shall be paid such remuneration for each day that member of the Corporation attends any meeting thereof as may be fixed by by-law of the Corporation, and each member of the Corporation is entitled to be paid reasonable travel and living expenses incurred while absent from his ordinary place of residence in the course of his duties under this Act.

Marginal note:Quorum

7 A majority of the members of the Corporation constitutes a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Corporation.

Marginal note:Right to act not impaired by vacancy

8 A vacancy in the membership of the Corporation does not impair the right of the remaining members to act.

Marginal note:Vice-chairperson

9 The Corporation may designate one of its members to be vice-chairperson of the Corporation and the vice-chairperson shall, in the event of the absence or incapacity of the chairperson of the Corporation or if the office of chairperson is vacant, act as chairperson.

Mandate and Powers

Marginal note:Mandate

• 10 (1) The mandate of the Corporation is to foster and promote the development of the audio-visual industry in Canada and to act in connection with agreements entered into under subsection (8).

• Marginal note:General capacity

  (2) For the purpose of carrying out its mandate, the Corporation has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person.

• Marginal note:Specific powers

  (3) Without limiting the generality of subsection (2), the Corporation may

  • (a) invest in individual Canadian audio-visual productions in return for a share in the proceeds from those productions;

  • (b) make loans to producers of individual Canadian audio-visual productions and charge interest on those loans;

  • (c) make awards for outstanding accomplishments in Canadian audio-visual productions;

  • (d) make grants to audio-visual industry professionals resident in Canada to assist them in improving their craft; and

  • (e) advise and assist Canadian audio-visual producers in the distribution of their works and in the administrative functions of audio-visual production.

• Marginal note:Borrowing

  (4) The Corporation shall not borrow money within the meaning of Part X of the Financial Administration Act otherwise than from the Crown.

• Marginal note:Loan guarantees

  (5) Despite subsection (4), the Corporation may, in accordance with terms and conditions approved by the Treasury Board and the Minister of Finance, guarantee loans for audio-visual productions and their distribution.

• Marginal note:Canadian content, ownership, etc.

  (6) For the purposes of this Act, a Canadian audio-visual production is an audio-visual production in respect of which the Corporation has determined

  • (a) that the completed production will, in the judgment of the Corporation, have a significant Canadian creative, artistic and technical content, and that arrangements have been made to ensure that the copyright in the completed production will be owned by an individual resident in Canada, by a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province or by any combination of owners described in this paragraph; or

  • (b) that provision has been made for the production under a co-production agreement entered into between Canada and another country.

• Marginal note:Corporation not a partner

  (7) The Corporation shall not be regarded as a partner in any production in which it may invest, and its liability shall be limited to the amount of its investment in the production.

• Marginal note:Contribution agreements

  (8) The Corporation may enter into agreements with the Department of Canadian Her­itage for the provision of services or programs relating to the audio-visual or sound recording industries.

• Marginal note:Consultation and cooperation

  (9) The Corporation shall, to the greatest possible extent consistent with the performance of its duties under this Act,

  • (a) carry out its mandate in the broader context of the policies of the Government of Canada with respect to culture; and

  • (b) consult and cooperate with any departments, boards and agencies of the Government of Canada and the governments of the provinces that have a mandate related to the mandate of the Corporation.

Organization

Marginal note:Meetings

11 The members of the Corporation shall meet at such times and places as they deem necessary but shall meet at least six times a year.

Marginal note:Executive director

• 12 (1) The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Corporation, appoint an executive director of the Corporation, who shall hold office during pleasure and shall be paid such salary as is fixed by the Governor in Council.

• Marginal note:Functions of executive director

  (2) The executive director is the chief executive officer of the Corporation, has supervision over and direction of the work and staff of the Corporation and may attend the meetings of the Corporation.

Marginal note:By-laws

13 The Corporation may, subject to the approval of the Minister, make by-laws for the regulation of its proceedings and generally for the conduct and management of its activities.

Marginal note:Advisory Group

14 The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Corporation, appoint an Advisory Group, broadly representative of the professional associations, exhibitors, distributors and unions in the Canadian film industry and including other qualified persons, to advise the Corporation on matters that the Minister or the Corporation may refer to it.

Marginal note:Staff and special advisers

15 The Corporation may employ such officers and employees and such technical and professional advisers as it considers necessary for the proper conduct of its activities, at such remuneration and on such other terms and conditions as it deems fit.

Marginal note:No application of Public Service Superannuation Act to members

16 The Public Service Superannuation Act does not apply to the members of the Corporation as such.

Marginal note:Corporation agent of Her Majesty

• 17 (1) The Corporation is for all its purposes an agent of Her Majesty and it may exercise its powers only as an agent of Her Majesty.

• Marginal note:Contracts

  (2) The Corporation may, on behalf of Her Majesty, enter into contracts in the name of Her Majesty or in the name of the Corporation.

• Marginal note:Property

  (3) Property acquired by the Corporation is the property of Her Majesty and title thereto may be vested in the name of Her Majesty or in the name of the Corporation.

• Marginal note:Proceedings

  (4) Actions, suits or other legal proceedings in respect of any right or obligation acquired or incurred by the Corporation on behalf of Her Majesty, whether in its name or in the name of Her Majesty, may be brought or taken by or against the Corporation in the name of the Corporation in any court that would have jurisdiction if the Corporation were not an agent of Her Majesty.

Financial

Marginal note:Appropriation

18 There is hereby appropriated for the purposes of this Act the sum of twenty-five million dollars to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund from time to time as required pursuant to this Act.