OTTAWA — Liberal Senator Pierrette Ringuette expressed wonderment on Thursday that the mayors of major Canadian cities, which compete against each other for billions in film and TV production dollars, could rally together in opposition to Bill C-10.

‘Is there anyone in the industry not opposed to this bill?’ she asked the mayors.

Toronto Mayor David Miller and Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay, who brought along letters of opposition to the bill from Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan and Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly, responded with a resounding ‘no.’

While reading into the record Kelly’s submission, which waxed lyrical about the beauties of Halifax, Miller paused and joked about whether for Toronto’s sake it was a good thing he had agreed to read it.

Ringuette also made note of the lengthy two-and-a-half-month debate that has already occurred before the committee on the omnibus bill that includes provisions that would allow the Canadian Heritage minister to deny tax credits to productions deemed contrary to public policy.

The mayors reiterated points made by other industry representatives who have already appeared, including jittery banks no longer willing to put up money to finance production due to uncertainty over whether tax credits will be granted, that the standard should be the Criminal Code, and that the creative community should not be stifled.

Miller noted that he doesn’t need the government to tell him not to watch violent shows, which he doesn’t like.

‘This is a country where Canadians have a choice. They can turn [any shows they find offensive] off,’ he noted.

Tremblay called for an ‘open and transparent’ debate on what standards might be set by the introduction of a separate bill that would spell out the benchmarks.

Bill C-10 includes a provision that would allow Heritage Minister Josée Verner to set the guidelines that wouldn’t be reviewable by Parliament or the courts.

It was back on March 17 that Verner appeared before the committee to support the bill. Since then, a steady stream of industry witnesses has paraded before the committee to express their opposition to what they see as censorship.

With more testimony scheduled — including appearances next Wednesday by Cineman Films, the Alliance québécoise des techniciens de l’image et du son and the Union des artistes — Bill C-10 could well be talked into the ground.

Several Liberal senators have vowed not to pass the bill as it stands. But with so many witnesses getting on the docket, the bill might not even make it to vote before the House of Commons recesses for the summer.