Dueck sarcan

Local actor Brian Dueck (right) talks about the petition with staff from SARCAN Recycling in Swift Current Saturday

A grassroots effort urging the provincial government to continue to support the film industry took to the streets of Swift Current Saturday.

A group of people went around the city collecting signatures for a petition to send to Premier Brad Wall requesting that the government work with film industry partners to develop a new incentive program after the removal of the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit.

"It's not a political campaign, it's not a protest, it's nothing negative," said local business owner Poppy Parsons, who helped organize the blitz. "It's just to gather support and awareness and to try to keep art, culture and film in the province. We don't want to lose these families. We don't want to lose these dollars that they spend here when they create films, and we just want to have them here, keep them here, and keep the industry flourishing."

Parsons added she got involved to help some of her close friends that could be affected by the removal of the tax credit: "They will move if there isn't a new incentive program created in Saskatchewan. Them and potentially 1200 other families."

Eight people took part in the blitz in Swift Current collecting more than 300 signatures for the petition. Other blitzes were held in Saskatoon and Regina, and the three events combined to gather over 3000 signatures on Saturday. The group will continue to have the petition available in various businesses and events in the Swift Current area in the coming weeks.

Colin Powers talked with Poppy Parsons before the blitz got underway Saturday: