Maybe certain broadcasters saw the writing on the wall. Maybe certain broadcasters realized that if they continue to let English-Canadian drama deteriorate as they had for the last five years, the federal authorities would wake up one day and ask what the hell is going on around here?

Maybe someone at Global realized that once the federal government got around to appointing six new commissioners – long absent, now – to the CRTC, the odds would improve that someone would get wise. One astute, gung-ho commissioner might survey the lay of the land and decide that the sweetheart deal conventional, over-the air broadcasters are getting is not actually being repaid in kind through creation of enough quality Canadian programming in primetime. Why, they might ask, can Global charge record ad fees to simulcast the Super Bowl and offer only a single one-hour Canadian drama in return, not counting the canceled Blue Murder? Are Train 48 and Zoe Busiek: Wildcard – which is not even set in Canada – the only Canadian stories the network can offer?

Maybe, they might say, that 1999 Television Policy, which allows nets to telecast entertainment magazine and variety shows as priority programming on par with drama, was ill-conceived.

And maybe someone across town at the CBC saw more cuts looming to the national public broadcaster and decided they needed a new plan to convince the feds that more money was in order, not more cuts. At some point, CBC executives might have said, someone at Heritage is going to notice that Canada’s national public broadcaster airs only two one-hour dramas and has noticeably scaled back its comedy and variety offerings in the last few years (not to mention the complete decimation of its regional programming). Someone at the ministry might ask, where do all those millions go, anyway?

Maybe they all wanted to avoid what was likely an inevitable kick to the tuchis.

Well, whatever happened, all of a sudden both CBC and Global are talking up their plans for English-Canadian drama.

First off the mark was Global, which launched, if meekly, its new development project called Global Labs.

The net also picked up second-window rights – the first time that’s happened at a conventional network – on TMN series ReGenesis.

The Global Labs project will pilot four or five dramas and lifestyle shows per year, as Global looks to get serious about the kinds of domestic programs it triggers. Global Labs will develop and produce pilots, focus group the results, fix any problems and release those series deemed ready for public consumption. The network has already tested two scripted programs, The Jane Show and Falcon Beach, but has not decided on the fate of either.

Over at CBC, meanwhile, led by its executive VP in charge of English television Richard Stursberg, the network brass is asking the federal government to let CBC lead the charge for Canadian drama. They want to do so by ensuring that CBC gets 50% of the Canadian Television Fund. In return, the network will, over three years, increase hours devoted to domestic drama by 50%, comedy by 10%, and MOWs and miniseries by 100%.

Suddenly everyone is a champion of Canadian drama. CTV has been singing drama’s praises for years, going so far as to annually release a long wish list of Canadian dramatic programming it plans to produce. Problem is, it then only triggers about one-third of those shows. Mind you, it’s typically a good one-third, with titles such as Corner Gas and Lives of the Saints, but it does highlight the deep divide between rhetoric and action on the drama front.

Now, CBC and Global have joined CTV in a rousing chorus of ‘O, Canadian drama.’

Will any of this development seed money and oratory turn into real programming slotted in peak hours and promoted to the hilt? Who knows?

Talk is cheap. But it’s better than a hoof in the pants.