Latest news with #WilfridLaurier
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CRTC hears debate on including a 'cultural element' in new definition of CanCon
OTTAWA — The federal broadcast regulator is considering whether it should include a "cultural element" in its new definition of Canadian content. Appearing before a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission hearing Tuesday, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre said the CRTC should instead stick to its current approach, which looks at whether Canadians are employed in key creative positions. The consumers' group pointed out that the United Kingdom has a special institute to review and assess whether proposed cultural references in a production qualify as "sufficiently British." "We view a potential Canadian application of this approach, or any other cultural elements test, where a small group of people would be attempting to objectively define what and who is culturally Canadian, as being highly problematic," the advocacy centre said in a written copy of its opening statement. It also warned that production companies could exploit Canadian stereotypes to get around any "cultural element" test. "An American portrayal of how a Canadian character would speak or behave, for example, cannot be considered Canadian content," PIAC said. "It is merely a representation of the American cultural view of Canada." The CRTC's vice-chair of telecom, Adam Scott, asked the PIAC representatives whether Canadians wouldn't consider a miniseries about former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier to be more Canadian than one about former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson. Public interest articling fellow Aya Alshahwany responded by citing the hypothetical example of a big U.S. streamer making a movie about pop star Justin Bieber without any Canadians taking part in the production. "Using that to say, well, we made a documentary about a Canadian, this is CanCon now, I would have a really hard time digesting that as a Canadian to say, well, this is a reflection of my culture," she said. The CRTC has said that while it's leaning away from including a cultural element in its content test, it's open to hearing other viewpoints during the two-week hearing. The broadcast regulator has heard from others during the hearing who are in favour of including culture in the modernized definition of CanCon. The National Film Board, which appeared at the hearing Friday, has argued that now is the time to include cultural elements in the definition of Canadian content. It said in its prior written submission that not having a cultural element in the definition could result in harmful long-term consequences and risks erasing "what makes us who we are." It pointed to cultural tests used in countries such as Australia, France, Italy and the U.K. "These countries employ cultural elements alongside other criteria, such as nationality of key creative roles and ownership," the NFB said. It said those cultural elements include social or political relevance, how a way of life is depicted, and recognizable locations or figures, among others. "Our national screen culture has long operated on a definition of 'CanCon' that has excluded cultural elements. This approach has contributed to Canadians' inability to recognize when a story is of us," the NFB submission argues. The CRTC, which is looking at ways to modernize the definition of Canadian content, has heard differing points on how big U.S. streamers should contribute to the system. Netflix, Paramount and Apple pulled out of the hearing on the first day, and Motion Picture Association-Canada, which represents Netflix, Paramount, Disney and Amazon, argued foreign streamers shouldn't be expected to fulfil the same responsibilities as traditional broadcasters when it comes to Canadian content. The CRTC has ordered streaming services to pay five per cent of their annual Canadian revenues to a fund devoted to producing Canadian content. Multiple streaming services have launched legal challenges against that rule. Apple, Amazon and Spotify asked for and were granted a pause on their payments until the court process plays out. On Tuesday morning, U.K.-based sports streaming service Dazn told the hearing it shouldn't have to pay. Deidra Dionne, Dazn's vice-president in Canada, said such requirements are "not appropriate for international sports services" and make Canada an international outlier. "Our senior leadership continue to contemplate if the levies imposed make prioritizing growth in Canada a priority," she said. Geoff White, the executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, who appeared after Dionne, took aim at Dazn and the other streamers in his remarks. "I just think there's an arrogance from the foreign streamers in terms of not showing up and arguing how their business models are so complicated and so different," he said. White urged the CRTC to "have that moral courage to stand up to the foreign streamers." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2024. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press Sign in to access your portfolio
National Post
12-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
London's Taylor Elgersma signs with Green Bay Packers
Taylor Elgersma has signed with the Green Bay Packers. Article content The 23-year-old Londoner and Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks quarterback is the fourth pivot from a Canadian university to sign with an NFL team, following Western's Jamie Bone (Dallas, 1980) and Steve Samways (Cincinnati, 1987) and Toronto's Dan Feraday (Cincinnati, 1982). Article content 'There were a lot of emotions,' the Oakridge graduate said in a Laurier University release. 'This was a lot of hard work and a long journey to get to this. When I didn't hear my name called on draft night, of course, there was disappointment, but my path was a little different. Article content 'I have a ton of pride in being a Canadian athlete . . . who played U Sports and got to represent football on the other side of the border on the biggest stage in the world.' Article content The Packers have officially added 🇨🇦 QB Taylor Elgersma & released G Marquis Hayes, who ended last season on GB's practice squad. QB room is back at four. — Weston Hodkiewicz (@WesHod) May 12, 2025 Article content The two-time Ontario university conference MVP and 2024 Hec Crighton winner led the Hawks to Laurier's ninth Yates Cup championship in a blowout over Western and helped his school reach the Vanier Cup game for the first time since 2005. Article content The six-foot-five, 227-pounder impressed at the College Gridiron Showcase in January, then turned heads as the first U Sports quarterback in history to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl. Article content Elgersma participated in the University of Buffalo's Pro Day and made NFL team visits, including Green Bay, before the draft. He was selected 18th overall by Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League draft, but earned an invite to the Packers' rookie minicamp. Article content
CTV News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Sources say WLU quarterback expected to sign with Green Bay Packers
Taylor Elgersma holding an NFL football at the Wilfrid Laurier Athletic Complex in Waterloo on April 23, 2025. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Under-the-radar QB prospect could be answer to lingering problem for 49ers
Under-the-radar QB prospect could be answer to lingering problem for 49ers The San Francisco 49ers still have to get quarterback Brock Purdy's extension done, but that's not the only box they need to check at the most important position on their roster. We've covered how San Francisco still needs to find a long-term backup option for their franchise QB. Their best option may be an under-the-radar prospect who didn't play his college football in the US. Taylor Elgersma, a senior from Wilfrid Laurier in Ontario, checks all the physical boxes teams look for with quarterback prospects. He's listed at 6-4, 227 pounds and has the arm talent that matches his frame. On tape the skill set is clear. Elgersma can play. He has a big arm and he's accurate at all three levels of the field. He's deliberate with his dropbacks and his athleticism isn't going to strike fear into any defensive coordinators. He also didn't take any snaps from under center. That's going to require some work if he's going to carve out a role in the NFL. However, he can move in the pocket, doesn't lose velocity when throwing from different angles, throws well on the run and does a nice job using his shoulders and eyes to manipulate defenders. Elgersma also played hockey growing up and the toughness from that shows through in his willingness to stand in the pocket and deliver throws as he's being hit. In his last two years at Wilfrid Laurier, Elgersma started all 24 games and completed 74.2 percent of his throws for 7,734 yards (10.1 yards per attempt), with 60 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. All of that makes for an interesting late Day 3 prospect for a team that doesn't need a starter right away. In fact, the 49ers don't even need a backup. Mac Jones signed a one-year deal this offseason, but at some point San Francisco needs to find a backup signal caller on a cheap, multiyear contract. Elgersma is intriguing specifically for the 49ers because he clearly needs work to become a viable NFL backup. There's talent there, though. San Francisco's QB situation gives him the runway to develop on the practice squad as a rookie before sliding up to the QB2 job next offseason, helping the 49ers avoid needing to find an uninspiring veteran backup QB for a third consecutive year. Elgersma's mental makeup and desire to play the sport could push him over the top and help him reach the potential his production, measurables and tape say he has. Initially there weren't many invites for Elgersma on the college all-star game circuit. He got a spot at the College Gridiron Showcase and played well enough to get a Tropical Bowl invite. His Tropical Bowl performance earned him a ticket to the Senior Bowl where he was coached by Jordan Traylor. Traylor is the assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He served as Elgersma's QB coach at the Senior Bowl. He doesn't foresee any additional obstacles Elgersma may face after playing his college football in Canada. 'I think because he loves this so much none of this is gonna matter a year or two from now," Traylor said in a phone conversation. That love of football shined through in the way he studied the Senior Bowl playbook, diligently went through play calls in practice and sent late-night text messages to his coach about the offense. That desire to learn isn't something every player has, and it may be his ticket to maximizing his talent at the next level. 'His obsession with the game is the one trait that I've learned from the evaluation process with these QBs," Traylor said, "those guys that can't put game down overcome shortcomings. He doesn't really have any physical or mental limitations though." There are a handful of interesting quarterbacks projected to be available in the later rounds of this year's draft. Elgersma may not have the same type of experience as those QBs, but he's a player the 49ers should bet on in their quest to find a longer-term option behind their franchise signal caller.
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Senior Bowl interview with Laurier QB Taylor Elgersma
Senior Bowl practices kick off on Tuesday morning, and one of the more intriguing players taking to the field here in Mobile is Wilfrid Laurier QB Taylor Elgersma. The 6-foot-5 Elgersma is the first Canadian college QB ever to participate at the Senior Bowl. Elgersma was gracious enough to sit down with us at the Detroit Lions Podcast on Monday morning to talk about his path to playing at the Senior Bowl and what all he offers to NFL teams. It's an enlightening conversation, with Elgersma breaking down the difference between Canadian football and how some of the passing concepts translate into the NFL.
