The much-touted ‘maturation’ of Canada’s film and tv business coincides with facing problems evident elsewhere – crippling blows to public broadcasting, merging broadcast windows, u.s. screen domination and not much in the way of government support – and is manifest in a world-beating attitude, in spite of it all.

In addition to mirroring the merger/acquisition if-you-can’t-beat-’em-buy-’em frenzy playing out in the u.s., Canadian broadcasters finally got their long-sought foreign ownership ceilings raised. Networks, taking advantage of the current political business-oriented approach to the cultural industries, are seeking access to existing production funding sources, which producers fear would eliminate the indies’ advantage; in effect leveling the distinctions between players more in line with the u.s. playing field.

Since the similarities between the North American markets end there, another sign of the industry’s maturity is the volume of Canadian companies that are thinking bigger than the Canadian windows, and taking their shows on the road.

And it isn’t only the larger production companies which are ascribing to the ‘go global’ policy. Overall, more Canadian producers are forging connections beyond their borders, evidenced by delegations from b.c. and Saskatchewan attending international markets such as mipcom, many for the first time.

Although more producers, tired of being left on the doorstep in Canada, are independently trawling for a berth on far-flung airwaves, there is room for some optimism about the limited opportunities at home. Series such as Traders, with its j.r