Culture is what binds society together. To take an obvious example, how many billions does Ottawa pour into Quebec every year to persuade French Canadians that they benefit from being part of Canada? How much effect can those billions have when French Canadians watch only two kinds of TV — French Canadian, and American? Now, how much does a movie like Bon Cop / Bad Cop do to make French Canadians feel like, yeah, we have our differences, but we belong together?
It doesn’t have to do very much at all to justify its expense. Bon Cop / Bad Cop cost the Canadian taxpayer $7.5 million (probably less now that the movie was such a success). If it makes the Québecois even .5% more patriotic about Canada, it’s a bargain.
Culture is not a luxury good. Culture is what creates society. And culture is the best bargain any government can buy.
Alex Esptein est un scénariste d’origine américaine qui vit et travaille à Montréal depuis plusieurs années. Il a été un des quatre scénaristes à l’oeuvre sur le film Bon cop Bad cop.
