Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett is up “the s-word” creek without a paddle as far as Alberta’s opposition parties and workers in Canada’s television industry are concerned.
The outrage comes after Blackett called some Canadian television programming “s—” Monday while sitting in on a panel that featured Will & Grace star Erin McCormack and former Beverly Hills 90210 star Jason Priestley at the World Television Festival in Banff.
“I sit here as a government representative for film and television in the province of Alberta and I look at what we produce and if we’re honest with ourselves, why do I produce so much s—?
Why do I fund so much crap,” said Blackett during the festival Blackett has since apologized for using the “s-word,” but he’s not backing on his feelings towards all-Canadian programming.
“We’ve got some excellent Canadian programming and I said some of the broadcasters,” said Blackett.
“I don’t think we spend enough focus on the great Canadian content that we already have, and can produce more.”
But Liberal culture critic Laurie Blakeman believes the minister should resign since his comments were “totally unnecessary.”
And the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists said it’s “appalled” by his comments.
“If the minister of education said our teachers were crap, that minister would be fired,” said Blakeman.
“(The taxpayers) take the mileage for him to go to Banff and he does some one-upmanship with the panelists.”
With files from the canadian press
