‘I created Kensington, but he created King.’

-King of Kensington creator Perry Rosemond, on the passing of his friend and collaborator, Al Waxman

‘There was a professional sheen to every movie he did, and he was able to attract talent and great actors on a regular basis. And he [did] it as a strong, independent-based Canadian producer who never wanted to be sucked up in the American vortex.’

-Michael Prupas, president of Muse Entertainment Enterprises, on the death of Montreal producer Nicolas Clermont

‘There is this anomaly in Canada. It is not a clean break; it is not two separate nations. And Montreal happens to be a place where both cultures are vibrant and potentially the source of great programs. So why make it very difficult to produce out of Montreal?’

-Galafilm president Arnie Gelbart, on the scarcity of public funds for English projects originated in Quebec

‘The [fear of a] strike is causing turmoil. Shows are going up, going down, going up, going down, all depending on the availability of actors. Let’s say there is a wee bit of instability in the decision-making process. We’re the innocent bystanders.’

-Mark DesRochers, B.C. film commissioner

‘Film in B.C. is a very important sector in the economy and I want to grow the film industry in B.C. For the most part, what we do in our film industry is competitive and compatible. Film is a strategic priority.’

-Rick Thorpe, B.C. minister of competition, science and enterprise

‘Festivals are becoming so Americanized and international that they are not celebrating our documentaries and features. We have to put Canadian feature films and documentaries on the screens so Canadians can actually see our work.’

-Mary Sexton, Newfoundland director of Tommy: A Family Portrait

‘While we support your wish to reward performance, we question Telefilm’s policy of rewarding only production and distribution companies. Directors and writers play a major role in the success of a production and, we believe, deserve a fair share of this funding.’

-Directors Guild of Canada president Alan Goluboff in a ‘private letter’ to Telefilm executive director Francois Macerola

‘In a sense, distributors here are rewarded for not taking risks, because the government subsidizes a Canadian release, therefore what do they have to lose? They just have to make a nominal effort, put the film into theatres, and then they get their kickback.’

-Director Vincenzo Natali, on why Cube wasn’t a hit in Canada

‘Interactive television was tried in the 1950s – it was a flop then, it was a flop again about seven years ago, and it’s still a flop, because there’s no business model.’

-Bill Sweetman, partner and VP interactivity, Delvinia

‘In Canada, everybody makes you bend over 16 times before they actually believe you can bend over in the first place.’

-Martha Fusca, president and CEO, Stornoway Communications

‘On Liography, they ordered a couple of dozen [whoopee cushions]. Maybe it’s because of the Canadian background, if you’ll forgive the expression, but we seem to realize the potential for laughter in farting.’

-Leslie Nielsen, on his penchant for the ‘deadly device’