A Trump film tariff would send Canadian screen industry into ‘chaos,' say local producers
President Donald Trump's proposed tariff on foreign-made films would send Canada's screen industry into 'chaos,' local producers say — though several believe the plan is unlikely to ever be implemented.
In a social media post Sunday, Trump said he's authorized trade officials to impose a '100 per cent tariff' on all films produced outside of the United States.
Many Hollywood projects are shot in Canada. The Canadian Media Producers Association pegs the value of foreign productions last year at $4.73 billion, creating more than 90,000 jobs.
Toronto's Daniel Bekerman, lead producer of the Canada-shot Trump biopic 'The Apprentice,' says the proposed tariff would create chaos for Canada's film industry.
Still, Bekerman doubts Trump will follow through on the threat.
Meanwhile, the co-president of Canadian distributor Elevation Pictures Noah Segal says he's both 'concerned and dumbfounded' by Trump's announcement, adding he can't see any practical way the tariff could be applied.
'It's getting harder and harder to make films and shows, and make them make sense so that you can release it and make money,' says Segal, adding that the local industry has faced several hurdles lately, from the pandemic to the Hollywood strikes.
'So I would suspect if something like this (tariff) comes along, there'd be a lessening of production and there would be a slowdown, which is never good for anybody.'
Monday Mornings
The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.
It's still unclear when or how the tax would take effect, but U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick replied to Trump's post saying, 'We're on it.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada Standard
33 minutes ago
- Canada Standard
Would be my pleasure to welcome PM Modi for G7: Former Canada MP Chandra Arya calls India
Ottawa [Canada], June 7 (ANI): Former Member of Parliament of Canada, Chandra Arya, has said it would be his pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada for the G7 meeting from June 15 to 17, noting that India is an 'indispensable partner' and underlining the need for a deeper, structured bilateral relationship based on shared values like 'democracy', 'pluralism', and a 'rules-based international order'. In a post on X, Arya said, 'It would be my pleasure to welcome PM Narendra Modi to Canada for the G7 meeting during June 15-17. When I met PM Narendra Modi last July, I emphasised that Canada and India are united by shared values, democracy, pluralism, and a rules-based international order. India, an increasingly influential global actor with growing strategic, economic, and demographic weight, is an indispensable partner for Canada, both in the Indo-Pacific region and globally. It is in Canada's national economic, strategic, and geopolitical interest to forge a deeper, more structured relationship with India, one that spans trade, investment, policy, and civil society.' Earlier in the day, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that G7 countries will hold discussions on important issues, including security and energy, in their upcoming summit, adding that India's presence at the intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. The effort seems a bid to thaw the frozen ties between the nations. Carney said that India, being the fifth largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the seat. 'Let's put the two aspects in context- first is, we are in the role- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,' he said. Carney said that India is central to a number of supply chains, which makes its presence pertinent at the G7 chair consultation. 'There are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions, and in my capacity as G7 chair, I will consult with some others to make those determinations. India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to a number of those supply chains at the heart of a number of those supply chains, so it makes sense,' he said. The announcement comes after a period of severely strained relations between the two countries, triggered by Canadian allegations that Indian agents were involved in the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar--a Canadian citizen and prominent pro-Khalistan activist--outside a Sikh temple in Vancouver, as per DW News. India strongly denied the claims, and both nations expelled senior diplomats in a tit-for-tat escalation, DW News reported. (ANI)
Canada Standard
33 minutes ago
- Canada Standard
"G7 cannot be effective without India's presence": Former diplomat KP Fabian
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): With Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to attend the G7 summit in Canada, former diplomat KP Fabian said on Saturday that without India's presence, the summit which discusses various issues pertaining to the economy, security, and terrorism could not have been 'effective'. 'The G7 meeting, which is effective on having conversations about what is happening to global economy, security issues, war and peace, as well as terrorism and necessary counter-terrorism measures, cannot be effective without India's presence,' Fabian told ANI here. He further said that Canadian PM Mark Carney 'has done the right thing,' by sending an invite to PM Modi, even if some might say there was a 'slight delay.' He further said that he thinks that PM Modi will raise the issue of terrorism post Operation Sindoor. 'So, I take it that Prime Minister Modi will raise the issue of terrorism apart from other issues, climate change, everything will be raised but there should be more focus on terrorism. Even after Pahalgam that the rest of the world, especially the west have not really woken up,' he said. Earlier in the day, PM Carney said that G7 countries will hold discussions on important issues, including security and energy, in their upcoming summit, adding that India's presence at the intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. The effort seems a bid to thaw the frozen ties between the nations. The Canadian PM said that India, being the fifth largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the seat. 'Let's put the two aspects in context- first is, we are in the role- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,' he said. Underlining how India is central to a number of supply chains, which makes its presence pertinent at the G7 chair consultation. The announcement comes after a period of severely strained relations between the two countries, triggered by Canadian allegations that Indian agents were involved in the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar--a Canadian citizen and prominent pro-Khalistan activist--outside a Sikh temple in Vancouver, as per DW News. India strongly denied the claims, and both nations expelled senior diplomats in a tit-for-tat escalation, DW News reported. (ANI)
CTV News
40 minutes ago
- CTV News
As his trade war faces legal pushback, Trump has other tariff tools he could deploy
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs are facing legal headwinds for the first time — but he has other tools he could deploy in his quest to realign global trade. A federal appeals court is still deciding whether there will be a stay on Trump's universal tariffs enacted through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, usually referred to by the acronym IEEPA. The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled the duties were unlawful last month. IEEPA is a national security statute that gives the U.S. president authority to control economic transactions after declaring an emergency. It had never previously been used for tariffs. Trump declared emergencies at the United States' northern and southern borders linked to the flow of fentanyl and migrants in order to hit Canada and Mexico with economywide tariffs. He later declared an emergency over trade deficits to impose his retaliatory 'Liberation Day' duties on most nations. The trade court found Trump exceeded presidential powers by using IEEPA to broadly implement the duties. The Trump administration quickly appealed the decision and the White House said it would take the case to the Supreme Court. Following the ruling, White House Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said he was confident the court ultimately would decide in Trump's favour. Hassett said that if it doesn't, 'we'll have other alternatives that we can pursue as well to make sure that we make American trade fair again.' While the U.S. Constitution gives power over taxes and tariffs to Congress, Greta Peisch, the former general counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, said it passed laws over the last century that allow the president some control in certain situations. Trump is now looking to use those laws — some of them for the first time. The president may be considering Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. It allows a president to hit countries with tariffs of up to 50 per cent if the country 'is treating products of the United States disfavourably, compared to products of another foreign country,' said Peisch, a partner at Wiley Rein in Washington, D.C. Section 338 has never been used by a president before and Peisch said it might be difficult for the administration to make a case for it. Trump also might look to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows a president to take trade actions if an investigation finds a trading partner's policies are unreasonable and discriminatory. Trump used this law during his first administration to impose tariffs on some Chinese imports and European Union goods. But Section 301 requires country-by-country investigations of trade policy before a tariff can be imposed — investigations that could take weeks or months and would include a period for public comment. That certainly would slow down Trump's efforts to target the world with tariffs. If the president is looking for speed, Peisch said, he might try to use Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — another law that has never before been used. Section 122 allows a president to implement tariffs of up to 15 per cent to address large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits. But those duties can only stay in place for a maximum of 150 days before they need Congressional approval to continue. That reduces Trump's leverage if his goal is to pressure countries to sign trade deals — those countries could simply decide to wait the president out. Trump also has said tariffs will help pay down the deficit; the short-term Section 122 power is unlikely to work as a long-term revenue strategy. Ultimately, Peisch said, none of the replacement statutes could easily build Trump's universal tariff wall around the United States. 'Nothing is a great fit without a lot of work,' she said. 'So I think it's potentially going to be a challenge.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025. Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
