INTRODUCTION

Within our group we are interested in establishing a diverse Canadian identity, being able to incorporate experiences from our culture without robbing them of their individual voices; individuals from different cultures coming together to explore and create new ideas, and form new communities; and understanding Canadian literature in a growing capitalist society, specially looking at the vast difference between American and Canadian authors. When we began researching for this online conference, most of us knew little about neoliberalism. Herb Wyile’s intervention caught our attention because of the way he examined the effect of neoliberalism, both looking back in time and projecting forward. We wanted to look into the future of Canadian literature, finding particular interest in the opportunities presented by “far away” access to content, research, and funding through the Internet and television networks. Also crucial is the need to change how Canadians interact with our own literature and art, including a different, less negative view of commercialization — one that allows it to be viewed as an asset, rather than a hinderance.

 

CENTRAL POINTS, ISSUES, QUESTIONS

• Most Canadians are tuned into American mass media and literature. How could we bring more attention/quality to Canadian output? Including the threat of American culture in the way that it affects the publication processes of Canadian culture and literature.
• Does getting rid of neoliberalism bring us closer to a more inclusive Canada, with a more inclusive approach to being Canadian? (via Hailey)
• Most people gain knowledge of socio economic matters through popular culture and social media, rather than scholarly articles. How has the Internet affected the exclusionary methods of publishing? (via Hayden)
• If we put reliance on the Internet/new media forms to assist in the promotion of Canadian literature/storytelling are we then losing the monetary aspect to publishing? Are we relegating this art then to the fringes because it is unlikely for those who create it to maintain a living wage? Can we allow these artists any stability within their creation?
• Canadian literature is viewed as a minority in the growing mass of publication, seen differently from American or European output due to its content about Canada, exploring its unique and diverse culture. Why don’t people value these genre of literature at least as equally than what we are exposed to, from fiction to YA novels, Canadian literature seems to fall flat on the consumption spectrum.
• As Wyile mentioned, education will remain a constant issue within the growing problem of neoliberalism’s impact on Canadian literature. Not only will privatization affect the content and spread of Canadian literature, but will also change the curriculum distributed across Canadian schools. They will rely heavily on funding that will become scarce, and the available texts they will provide that will change the content we’ll teach the future generations of Canada —including the lack of teaching Canadian history (its people, culture, background) and the limited knowledge Canadian students will acquire of their own country.
• The impact of neoliberalism on the publication system has affected the way Canadian writers approach their work and the content they include. It will change the dynamics, controlling what would drive the economy forward, including what will be printed in texts promoting and advertising what the consumers want. And with a growing economy-run system, the freedom of Canadian writers’ to divulge in the culture of Canada will cease to exist and matter.

 

QUOTATIONS

“[T]he solution [for the present problems we face] can only be found by our Nations and communities accepting these problems as theirs, and your government recognizing that the methods of resolving these problems must be ours.” (MacDonald 262)

The sentiment behind White and Jacobs’s statement is an important one: let the voices of those with whom the issues are concerned speak for themselves. They will truly understand the extent of their problems and will hopefully be able to build a solution based on experience. That being said, it does not have to be a solitary battle. Drawing upon outside resources and communities to work together and build a new voice might also build to a solution.

“ By 2013, most of the gap in government spending had been eliminated between Canada and the US. Perhaps this is the strongest indicator that under neoliberalism, Canada’s reputation as possessing a “kinder, gentler” incarnation of capitalism is no longer justified at all—to the extent that it ever was.” (Stanford)

Hailey commented on Stanford’s article: “Do you all think that by scrapping Neoliberalism we are coming closer to a more inclusive Canada that takes a more inclusive approach to being Canadian? Or perhaps this economic disparity is a large reason for the disparity in “Canadian” literature that is lacking ‘aboriginality’– forgive the pun.” Theoretically, if there were representative committees (or something similar) whose duty would be to ensure that different groups’ stories were told, and if there was a guarantee that they would be published, this might offer a more well-rounded solution, rather than simply whichever group has the financial means and networking connections to publish literature. That being said, as we will discuss below, crowdfunding outlets (e.g. Kickstarter, Indiegogo) has become a new avenue of privatized funding.

“Risk monetizing social relationships and intimacies…  and reifying the understanding of the supremacy of the individual over the group that is so crucial to neoliberal ideology.”  (Harvie 177)

Certainly in “tuning” our national perspective away from the Americans, I think that there is some room to bring the idea of neoliberalism to the table. The commodification of art certainly enhances the funding that comes back to it. Why aren’t we associating our national products to our national artists? If Marvel gets Captain America on every bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, we should have Emily Carr Iced Capps. We shouldn’t have to look at commercialization as the degradation of artistic quality and intent, instead we should perceive it as the natural next step in creating art of high demand. Let’s broadcast the Leo awards on CTV and Global. Let’s create a fervour for our national items.

“Canada’s protectionist cultural policy approach is now part of the discourse of Canadian neoliberalism, of the latter’s attempt to profitably incorporate the ideological and aesthetic potential of culture and cultural production into its economic potential while simultaneously decreeing as “public interest” the commercialization of cultural goods, policies, and functions.” (Milz 93)

We received a comment from Hayden about Milz’s article, saying: “Milz talks about cultural production and the government’s role in the creation and protection of a national identity in the wake of the Second World War. This is why it helps to interrogate our notions of “Canadianness”- this national spirit that we are often made to feel emerges organically is mostly contrivance.”

 

CONCLUSION

“The shift to diversified networks of arts supports is not intrinsically bad… it can facilitate arts’ survival, enhance their resilience and help them grow systems of support in the face of declining structures of support, avoid the vagaries of the market, resist instrumentalist deployment by a single powerful funding source, lead rather than be led by their funders and be realistic about what is achievable.” (Harvie 191)

There is a need to gain financial stability and grow the market for Canadian literature if we wish to see it continue down the line. The market for “Canadian stories” often feels limited to our country and economy and we do not have the same toehold in American culture that they have in us. There needs to be a change in how we as Canadians interact with our own literature and art, certainly government mandates assist in getting some of the word out (would we still be hearing k-os’s “Crabbuckit” on the radio if we didn’t need to broadcast a certain percentage of Canadian music on all Canadian radio stations?) This also means finding a balance between plans of long-term economic viability with those funded by the government (e.g. Writer-in-Residence programs) especially with a focus on groups whose stories have not been told in mainstream media. Networks such as Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) would be important programs to build upon, bringing lesser-known stories to the greater public. In addition, all government-funded programming should have a minimum program length, therefore creating a certainty within it (even if the government changes power).

AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

It would be a great help for the government to contribute more funding for programs such as Writer-in-Residence and networks like APTN. Recognizing the importance of looking to the source, those who are directly involved in important Canadian communities, is crucial step to preserving cultures and creating a way for their stories to be told to the public on a greater scale.

One way to promote lesser known Canadian writers to the general public would be through programs such as the CBC’s Canada Reads competition. Canadian celebrities choose one book to “defend”. There’s discussion amongst the “defenders” and at the end of each round, one book is voted off, until only one remains as the winner for that year.)

Socially engaged art often allows for a higher amount of privatized funding (think of crowdfunded projects). A huge amount of non-standard comic books have recently been funded exclusively through crowdsourcing and have promoted characters and issues that may not have easily gained a toehold in the market without. This has then rippled back through the community allowing newer (largely funded) projects to have representation that may not have happened had there not already been an established market for it (i.e. the creation of Ms. Marvel as Muslim, etc.).

In her annotated bibliography on Kristin L. Dowell’s “Aboriginal Diversity On-Screen”, Charmaine Li said: “A question for the future would be: how will APTN fit in [with] the changing landscape of film/TV where people selectively stream shows online (through Netflix, for example), instead of committing to TV channel bundles? How can we ensure that our unique Canadian and Aboriginal voice will not be drowned out by popular media created by our (probably more well-funded) neighbours south of the border?”

The APTN could look into online streaming services. Certain programs (such as Amy’s Mythic Mornings) have their episodes available to stream using Vimeo on Demand. Although this format is accessible from a creator’s point of view, it is not the most well-known as a consumer. One issue that independent companies/creators have is that the visual quality is more likely lower than a corporate production due to a smaller budget. If there were grants for an appropriate budget, this could give a fair chance to educational programs when coming with others.

Shows like Rebel Music — an MTV-funded program — has had relative success in promoting Indigenous artists from both north and south of the border. They don’t focus on the specificity of the national view but instead take a moral view: one attends environmental and social issues on a global/personal scale. While this isn’t necessarily a better solution than Canadians promoting their own work, developing a greater interrelation may help. Avenues like (the American corporations) of Netflix and Hulu, may allow for a larger canvas than we could have access to without.

It is important to prioritize teaching Canadian studies within Canada, including mandatory Aboriginal studies through Canadian universities. This should give importance to making it part of the curriculum to maintain and grow Canada’s national identity and culture in literature as well as other forms of art, media, and press. Hopefully this growth will help to prevent Canadian identity getting lost underneath the density of American culture.

WORKS CITED

Amy’s Mythic Mornings. GFZ Studios, n.d. Web. 10 August, 2015.

“Canada Reads 2015.” CBC-Radio Canada, n.d. Web. 11 August, 2015.

“Canadian content requirements for music on Canadian radio.” Government of Canada, 14 March, 2004. Web. 13 August, 2015.

“Crowdfunding Definitions & Models.” Canada Media Fund, 2015. Web. 13 August, 2015.

Harvie, Jen. Fair Play: Art, Performance and Neoliberalism. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print.

Li, Charmaine. “Annotated Bibliography.” Conversations on Canada, 2015. Web. 10 August, 2015.

MacDonald, Fiona. “Indigenous Peoples and Neoliberal ‘Privatization’ in Canada: Opportunities, Cautions and Constraints.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 44.2 (2011): 257-73. ProQuest. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.

Milz, Sabine. “Canadian Cultural Policy-making at a Time of Neoliberal Globalization.”ESC: English Studies in Canada 33.1 (2007): 85-107. Web. 8 Aug 2015.

Snider, Mike. “Cutting the Cord: The TV times, they are a-changing.” USA Today, 9 November, 2014. Web. 10 August, 2015.

Stanford, Jim. “Canada’s transformation under neoliberalism.” Canadian Dimension. Canadian Dimension, 29 March, 2014. Web. 29 July, 2015.

“UWinnipeg approves mandatory indigenous course requirement.” CBC News, 26 March, 2015. Web. 14 August, 2015.

Wyile, Herb. “Neoliberalism and the Future of Canadian Literature.” Canadian Literature.204 (2010): 108,110,166. ProQuest.Web. 23 July 2015.