R-9764
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City Council Meeting 5-14-02
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 9764 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA SUPPORTING SANTA MONICA FILM
AND TELEVISION WORKERS AND BUSINESSES IN THEIR PETITIONS
FOR FEDERAL TRADE REMEDIES AND RELIEF
WHEREAS, the flight offilm and television jobs to Canada has caused the removal
of production of three quarters of the United States long form television shows and one
quarter of United States feature film production from our shores, resulting in economic
harm to thousands of small businesses, the destruction of tens of thousands of United
States film jobs, and the loss to our economy of billions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, a key factor in the flight of film and television jobs to Canada from the
United States has been the granting of trade distorting film production subsidies by the
Canadian national and provincial governments whose sole aim is the removal of jobs from
one nation to another; and
WHEREAS, such subsidies constitute an unfair trade practice that is inconsistent
with Canada's obligations under international agreements with the United States and other
nations; and
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WHEREAS, Santa Monica residents engaged in film and television production have
suffered substantial economic harm from the Canadian national and provincial film
production subsidies; and
WHEREAS, Santa Monica is a regional center for production and post production
services which have also suffered substantial economic harm from the Canadian subsidies,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica hereby endorses and
supports the petition of the Film and Television Action Committee with the United States
Department of Commerce to secure countervailing duties against the Canadian film
production subsidies.
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica also supports the Film
and Television Action Committee's filing of a Section 301 petition of the 1930 Tariffs Act
requesting the United States Trade Representative to investigate the Canadian subsidies,
to negotiate with Canada for the removal of all such subsidies, and to bring dispute
settlement proceedings against the granting of such subsidies.
SECTION 3. In order toe preserve the economic health of our community, the City
Council of the City of Santa Monica hereby requests our legislative representatives to give
their support and endorsement of all available trade remedies and relief to preserve the
United States film industry from unfair trade practices.
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SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
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Adopted and approved this 14th day of May, 2002.
Ii~ !1 [c ~'c"---
Kevin McKeown, Mayor Pro Tem
I, Maria M. Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 9764 (CCS) was duly adopted at a
meeting of the Santa Monica City Council held on the 14th of May, 2002, by the
following vote:
Ayes: Council members:
O'Connor, Bloom, Genser, Katz, Mayor Pro
T em McKeown
Noes: Council members:
None
Abstain: Council members:
None
Absent: Council members:
Holbrook, Mayor Feinstein