The following statement was issued today by Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Appointments to the Board of Directors 
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation

On February 5, 1997, the federal and provincial governments announced the creation of the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation. One million dollars was invested from the Canada- Newfoundland Agreement on Economic Renewal to spearhead development of this relatively new industry in the province over the next five years.

The corporation has been charged with the responsibility to direct the growth of the indigenous film and video industry and to market the province, both nationally and internationally, as a competitive place for on-location shooting of films and videos.

I am pleased today to inform Members of this House of government's appointments to the board of directors of this corporation.

The film industry within Newfoundland and Labrador is organized into three umbrella industry groups. Government sought nominations to the board from each of these three organizations and has accepted the names brought forward. Ken Pittman will represent the Producers' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PAN), Jennice Ripley will represent the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers' Cooperative (NIFCO), and Lisa Porter will represent the Film Crew Association of Newfoundland (FilmCAN). All of these individuals have a distinguished track record in promoting the development of the local film industry.

Robert Joy, who currently resides in New York City but is a native Newfoundlander, will serve on the board as a member-at-large. Mr. Joy has been involved in both the performing and business aspects of the industry in Canada and the United States, and will bring an external industry perspective to the board.

The federal and provincial governments will also be represented on the board by two senior individuals. Edna Hall, Director General of Heritage Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador, will serve on behalf of the federal government. John Scott, Deputy Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, will represent the province.

The vice-chair will be Katy Binden, principal of the School of Fine Arts at Memorial University's Corner Brook campus. Ms. Binden has brought a strong businesslike approach to the affairs of the School of Fine Arts and possesses a broad based knowledge of the film industry as a whole.

The chair will be Danny Williams, a well known lawyer and successful businessperson. Mr. Williams is president and CEO of Cable Atlantic.

The Board of Directors has been mandated by government to be aggressive in its efforts to develop the provincial film industry to its fullest economic potential, and is expected to operate on private sector business principles to achieve this objective.

As a relatively new sector of the provincial economy, the film industry offers exciting new prospects for diversifying the economic base of our province, attracting new investment, and generating significant new jobs within the private sector for the benefit of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I also wish to inform the House that members of the Film Development Corporation and I met with a number of key industry players in Los Angeles late last week. The purpose of this mission was to pursue a number of new business opportunities for film production in the province and to promote the establishment of the corporation itself.

Contact was made with eight major film production companies, the Los Angeles Film Development Commission, as well as an independent production company based in Los Angeles. Meetings were also held with the Canadian Consulate to make them fully aware of the province's new approach to development of the film industry and to seek their support and assistance within the Los Angeles area.

This was a very productive mission and reflects the seriousness and commitment which government attaches to this new initiative, as well as its determination to be proactive and aggressive in attracting new investment and economic activity to this province.

On behalf of government, I wish to publicly thank the individuals who have accepted this challenge.