Pornography in cinema and provincial film and video classification in Canada

Moral standards in film and video have been the subject of debate since the early years of motion pictures. In both the United States and Britain these standards are regulated by a system devised by the motion picture industry. In Canada, regulation of film and video has been a responsibility of provincial governments. In recent times the debate about regulation has focussed on the issue of violence, but there are similarities between this current debate and an earlier one dealing with pornography. The crux of the debate appears to be (1) basic tenets of liberalism regarding the free expression of ideas and (2) the need for protection of the “moral fabric ” of society, which often focuses on the protection of children. This paper considers the role of provincial film and video classification boards in light of changing community standards and pressure from the motion picture industry