Call to Action:

1. Contact Your Member of Parliament
   
   

   Find your M.P. using your postal code in English and Find your M.P. using your postal code in French

   We have included a sample letter to the MP for your convenience. Feel free to modify it so it suits your personal situation. However, if you must expand, keep it under a page and a half. Your local chapter may also have a revised version of this letter which they will send to you shortly. Feel free to sent both letters to your MP.

   Contact your MP even if they are from a party you didn't personally vote for, but keep your communication civil.

2. Follow Up with Your Member of Parliament
   E-mails and faxes are fine and easy, but they only go so far. The contact info includes your parliamentarians phone in (both in parliament and at the constituency). Make an effort to call, even if it is just to leave a message with the staff. Request that your MP responds to your concerns. Follow up again to make sure that they do.
   
   
   
3. If Your MP is a 'key' Person let DOC Know
   
   Contacting these MPs is important as they have direct influence on the debate in the house, relevant comities and cabinet. They may require some additional information and DOC National and your chapter would be happy to help you in communicating with them.
   
   Here are people we have defined as key: heritage critics, heritage committee members, cabinet ministers

   The heritage critics are:
   Charlie Angus (NDP)
   Carole Lavallée (Bloc)
   Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal)
   
   List of Heritage Committee Members (with links to their contact info - just click on their names) can be found in English here and in French here
   

   List of Cabinet Ministers can be found in English here and in French here
   
   
   
4. Contact your Senator(s)

   Although Senators are appointed they are still supposed to represent specific regions and provinces - and can often be powerful allies when they glom onto an issue.
   
   List of senators can be found in English here and in French here

   
   
5. Contact others who may be affected by this decision and get them to write a letter.
   
   We have included a sample letter to the MP that they can use (identified as 'nonfilm'). Here are some suggestions of people you may want to contact, but feel free to add your own:
   
   a) SUPPORT SERVICE INDUSTRY: The support services industry from rental houses, video and audio post houses, law firms, insurance companies to your favorite caterer, who will see a drop in their revenues due to a drop in independent production (particularly documentaries)
   
   b) YOUR CREWS: DP's, Mixers, Gaffers, PA's who may be out of work because you cannot finance your projects
   
   c) RESEARCHERS AND ACADEMICS whom are often relied upon for expert advice. Documentaries offer a wonderful tool for them to get their concerns, their findings etc. known to a greater public
   
   d) SUBJECTS: our subjects all agree to participate in our documentaries as they are interested in spreading the word about their work, their projects, their experience. They should be concerned that this outlet for their voice is being threatened. Some of these subjects are prominent figures in Canada.
   
   e) NGO's: like the above, documentaries often touch on the work that these organizations do, highlighting their importance and bringing much needed attention to their cause.
   
   
   

Read DOC's press release New Canada Media Fund puts private companies in charge of key Canadian cultural fund.Read more here

Read DOC's Backgrounder Document on the proposed Canada Media Fund. Read more here