Under the radar: Unesco treaty. What does this mean exactly to the domestic film industry in Canada?

On 18 March 2007, a United Nation Education Scientific and Cultural (Unesco) treaty entered into force, and may effect all cultural industries in Canada, primarily, the film and magazine industries. This may very well be the most important legislation to effect the health of Canada's domestic film industry since NAFTA was signed in January 1994. It might also have no teeth, and be completely ineffective.


We found these segments that are of interest:

"In particular, the Convention aims to:

1. reaffirm the sovereign right of States to draw up cultural policies
2. recognize the specific nature of cultural goods and services as vehicles of identity, values and meaning
3. strengthen international cooperation and solidarity so as to favour the cultural expressions of all countries

"What are the rights and obligations of the Parties to the Convention?

One of the fundamental objectives of the Convention is “to reaffirm the sovereign rights of States to maintain, adopt and implement policies and measures that they deem appropriate for the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions on their territory.”

but we also found something that may invalidate it,

In all cases, the Convention specifically states that nothing in the Convention shall be interpreted as modifying rights and obligations of the Parties under any other treaties to which they are parties."

We think that means, it doesn't have the power to change NAFTA. We're examing the treaty, it's complicated, and will have a more in depth post soon.

You can find the treaty information package in a Pdf here, and decide for yourself. If you have a better understanding of this treaty than we do, we would love to hear your opinion.

UNESCO