Question Period Note: Support for the Indigenous Screen Office

Established in 2017, the mission of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) is to support the development, production and marketing of Indigenous content, thereby contributing to the authentic representation of Indigenous Canadian peoples on screen. The ISO plays a vital role in advancing Indigenous narrative sovereignty and the promotion and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures. Budget 2021 allocated $40.1 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to support ISO. The ISO program officially launched on September 29, 2021.

• Culture in a society is necessary and plays an important role in the process of healing and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
• Budget 2021 provided $40.1 million to support the Indigenous Screen Office and ensure Indigenous peoples can tell their own stories and see themselves reflected on-screen.
• The promotion of Indigenous culture and languages are powerful tools for healing, Reconciliation and the promotion of a strong sense of identity. The audiovisual sector is a key vehicle for the revitalization of Indigenous culture and languages.

• The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action and the Final Report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ (MMIWG) Calls for Justice all contain provisions describing how the audiovisual sector is a critical vector for Indigenous language and culture revitalization.
• This Government is committed both to accelerate Reconciliation efforts; and to support additional capacity building for First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
• The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) is a not-for-profit corporation overseen by an Indigenous Board of Directors. ISO’s purpose is to support and advance Indigenous narrative sovereignty, to increase the creation and consumption of Indigenous audiovisual products in Canada and around the world, and to build overall capacity for the Indigenous audiovisual sector in Canada.
• The ISO is an Indigenous-led organization designed to enhance Indigenous sovereignty by supporting the Indigenous audiovisual sector and counteracting the practice of non-Indigenous creators telling Indigenous stories.
• Historically, Indigenous stories have been excluded from mainstream media and, if included, were mostly told from the perspectives of non-Indigenous people. Indigenous artists and stakeholders have raised many concerns over the misuse and misappropriation of Indigenous arts and cultural expressions.
• Supporting Indigenous creators through an Indigenous-led funding mechanism ensures that decisions over funding allocations are made by Indigenous decision makers, helping to advance Indigenous narrative sovereignty in the audiovisual sector.
• In 2016, following a two-year national consultation, the Canada Media Fund (CMF) released a report which examined why Indigenous people remain underrepresented and undercompensated in the audiovisual sector. One of its key recommendations was the creation of the ISO Corporation, an independent, Indigenous-led organization designed to enhance Indigenous sovereignty by supporting the Indigenous audiovisual sector and counteracting the practice of non-Indigenous creators telling Indigenous stories.
• In June 2017, the ISO Corporation was announced by the former Minister of Canadian Heritage and was supported by a partnership between the CMF, Telefilm Canada (Telefilm), Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada (CBC/SRC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).
• In January 2019, the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) provided additional resources to the ISO Corporation through its contribution agreement with the CMF in the amounts of $60,000 for 2018-19 and $185,000 for 2019-20. This additional funding helped increase ISO’s budget from $315,000 to $405,000, providing enough funding to develop its mandate and strategic plan, but not enough to expand its programming and activities.
• In 2020, as the pandemic continued to create uncertainty within the broader audiovisual sector in Canada, the ISO Corporation partnered with the CMF to administer emergency support for the Indigenous audiovisual production industry. The ISO Corporation dispersed over $5 million in emergency relief through two separate funds, one designated for Indigenous audiovisual creators and organizations and the other targeted at Indigenous creators from equity-deserving groups.
• The ISO Corporation is currently engaged in a national consultation process. The consultation will result in a working definition of Indigenous identity that will be used to validate those applying for ISO funding. PCH and APTN, are financially supporting the consultation.
• In Spring 2021, government support for the ISO was identified as part of the Culture Theme of the Federal Pathway in response to the Final Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Funding for the ISO responds directly to Call for Justice 2.7 that calls on governments to support Indigenous-led initiatives to improve the representation of Indigenous peoples in media and pop culture; and Call for Justice 6.1 that calls on those working in media to take decolonizing approaches to their work.
• Budget 2021 announced $40.1 million over three years, beginning in 2021-22, to Canadian Heritage to support the Indigenous Screen Office and ensure Indigenous peoples can tell their own stories and see themselves reflected on-screen. There have been no negative stakeholder reactions and the industry has expressed board support for the announcement.
• The ISO program supports projects in any audiovisual format, including film, television and interactive digital media. This innovative format agnostic approach helps Indigenous storytellers reach audiences in any format and on the platform of their choice, contributing to advancing Indigenous narrative sovereignty and the revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures. The ISO program officially launched on September 29, 2021.

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