The Canadian Media Producers Association recently released a study of gender inequality in Canada’s media industries titled “Women & Leadership: A Study of Gender Parity and Diversity in Canada’s Screen Industries”.

The 62-page report spans the globe and is number-heavy. It concludes with a call for a six-pronged approach to gender parity:

1. Disclosure & Research
2. Financial Incentives
3. Conscious Inclusion Initiatives
4. Skills Training
5. Confront the Portrayal Issue
6. Diversity within Gender

Specifically, in terms of financial incentives:

“Many of the senior women interviewed pointed to levering ‘financial purse strings’ as the only effective and immediate means to change. The two leading suggestions identified are: 1. introduction of 50/50 allocation in all public funds as between female-led and male-led projects; 2. introduction of incentives for both producers and broadcasters such as top-up funding or a bonus tax credit for female-led projects.”

Proving it can be done in Canada, the report releases figures on BravoFACT‘s move to gender parity in 2015:

“Most importantly, the results of this initiative clearly demonstrate how setting firm targets can have an immediate impact on social change. In this instance, one year after setting parity as a firm goal, the percentage of female producers and directors of projects funded rose to 59% and 49% respectively.”

My take: this can’t happen soon enough for me. Maybe we can solve the wage gap at the same time.

The Department of Canadian Heritage has launched consultations on how to strengthen the creation, discovery and export of Canadian content in a digital world.

Minister Mélanie Joly proclaims:

“As a government, we are proud to support Canadian culture. But we want to do it well. We’re launching a national dialogue on Canadian content; one that will help us adapt our cultural policies to today’s digital realities. Tell us what’s important to you. Share your ideas to help Canada thrive in a digital world. And to allow people across the country and around the world to keep discovering what makes our culture and creators so great.”

At stake is billions dollars that Heritage Canada uses to fund culture in Canada. Its portfolio includes things like the CBC, the NFB, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Council and the CRTC, among many others.

The consultations stem from an April announcement when Joly told The Globe and Mail: “Everything is on the table.”

There are many ways to take part:

1. You can post your idea.
2. You can post your public event.
3. You can upload a submission.
4. You can host your own event.

See the results of the pre-consultations and the expert advisory group.

My take: kudos to Minister Joly for showing some leadership on media, arts and culture in a digital age. Discoverability and monetization are the two biggest issues facing all artists, Canadian or otherwise, on the web. Time will tell if this consultation results in mere ripples in the pond or a massive tidal wave of change. (I used to be a part-owner of Tidal Wave Productions.) My advice: get involved if you want to see the status quo challenged!