Canadian Magazine Dispute

The U.S.-Canadian Magazine Dispute was one of the prominent trade disputes in the modern era of globalization that formed part of our collective memory in which the implications for cultural concerns took precedence. It represented something important to the government of the day and was one of the several issues that were undertaken in the name of protecting local culture from globalization. The dispute stems from the influx of foreign magazines in the Canadian market with a, particularly high American (Split-run) concentration. This created a negative impact on the Canadian Magazine Industry
It is my opinion that the Canadian Government on the surface feared for the assimilation of the Canadian cultural trajectory. By that I mean the Americans ambitious and aggressive attitude towards trade and culture has shown little concern for the Canadian Government efforts to restrict access to American cultural exports. The ability of US culture to penetrate every continent through the dramatic growth of mass communications such as music, television, films and the Internet, as well as through the penetration of American …show more content…
Critical to the survival of the local magazine industry is the lucrative advertising dollars that are up for grabs. Local publishers being aware of the threat from our big bad neighbors to the south lobbied the government to step in. Bill C-55 proposed by officials at Canadian Heritage would make it illegal for Canadian businesses to advertise in split runs. Split-run magazines essentially siphon away lucrative advertising revenue from local publisher to American own magazines. The 89 percent market share by the foreign magazine industry in Canada is indeed a blow to Canadian culture because the sheer influx of American influence on the Canadian citizenry could be considered a threat Canadian