Canada pumps a lot of money into TV and film besides the CBC. I've never looked at the CBC's books, but apart from any government fund infusions, they also sell advertising like any other network.

I don't have a problem with some tax money going towards the arts and helping the film and television industries in Canada. Our taxes are up there, but I do prefer having thing like this properly budgeted and pitted against other necessities in trying to balance those budgets. The absurdity of a "license" for owning a television however, in this country, would just be an obvious cash grab. Not that there aren't those here already, such as the $50 Permanent resident card that came into law a few years ago for resident status immigrants (full of loop-holes too). Then add to that employing people and a fleet of vehicles (in the UK) to track down citizens that aren't licensed... That was discussed previously as well if I'm not mistaken. Seems to me like a very backwards way to get some funds to the BBC.

Like I said, I have genuine fears for the way things have been slowly moving in Canada. Do you need to pay a licensing fee to a music royalty body when you rent a venue and hire a live band or play your own music? You do here. How much of that cash actually gets to the artists? My guess, after a plenty of internet searching, is next to nothing for Canadian artists and zero to international artists (which would generally make up the majority of performers of the pre-recorded music played at parties such as weddings, etc.) SOCAN is the organization here to collect these monies.

I see too much waste and too few people actually benefitting from these types of tax. And oversight and public disclosure are generally a joke.

Speaking however of privatization, I'd really like to see a private sector for alcohol sales here in Ontario. Wine and spirits sales and distribution is completely government owned and controlled while also being unionized. Disgrace. Beer sales are handled through a "private" corporation owned by a couple of larger breweries - no one else is allowed to sell beer. It's all taxed at least 100% and there's no competition/incentive for selection availability. Though considering how things are handled, we do have a decently broad assortment of products to choose from. It could be a lot worse. But of course it could be a lot better. If there wasn't still such a social stigma associated with pot, I'm sure we'd see government owned distribution and/or sales outlets. Especially considering Canada is one of the biggest producers around - and certainly the source or most of the pot in the US.