Christians influence Canadian film funding

OTTAWA, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- A conservative Canadian Christian group is taking credit for lobbying the Conservative government to withhold tax credits for films themed on sex or violence.

Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, told the Globe and Mail films promoting homosexuality, graphic sex or violence should not receive tax dollars.

"It's fitting with conservative values, and I think that's why Canadians voted for a Conservative government," he said, although Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a minority government.

Conservative Member of Parliament Dave Batters said he recently called on the Telefilm Canada funding agency to block money for "objectionable" films, citing among them a film that uses the F-word following "Young People," in its title, the newspaper said.

Batters told the newspaper he doesn't support censorship, but offensive films should be made with private money.

"If there's a market for that, let people pay the $11," he said.

Canadian director David Cronenberg, whose most recent film was the Oscar-nominated Russian mob thriller "Eastern Promises," called the push an assault on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the newspaper said.