Hi,

(Before we get started, as of today, The Streaming Network, the brand is believed to have been sold and is independently run by an American firm with whom I have no quarrel).

 

My name is Alex Oliveira. I’ve been a longtime member of the Canadian production community in many roles, both on and off-screen and stage, for over three decades.

Some time ago, as streaming media evolved, I found my way into the business as the guy who knew how to make TV shows and AV setups work for the people providing the streaming platforms to end-clients, like large corporations, banks, law firms, pharmaceutical companies, and public utilities.

One of the early companies in the corporate webinar/webcasting space was The Streaming Network, founded by Frank Cianciulli, a wealthy Toronto businessman. He's the kind of guy to say things like, 

"Frank is a role model to all entrepreneurs and business owners. His life examples teach us to follow our dreams, no matter how great!"

...on his own website.  

I built a small production company around their needs and grew as they did. It was good for a while, but it involved huge outlays of money to cover crew costs while I waited to get paid. 

Regrettably, after many years of working together, they accumulated a significant balance with me and quite unexpectedly made a sudden offer to "settle" for a fraction of what they owed, believing I was desperate and could profit from the leverage, they created. 

Unfortunately, all efforts to resolve the balance failed, and I was met with bad-faith, false claims of cash flow poverty and delinquent clients.  All nonsense. 

The Streaming Network, the Canadian legal entity I did business with, is now called Wish Collaboration Inc., and they still owe me a bunch of money and have for a long time. Wish Collaboration Inc. and The Wish Group, the parent company, have forced me to pursue legal action for the significant amount owed for 31 different projects.  

Not being paid made me unhappy, this should come as no surprise and in free countries, people sometimes take to the internet to air their grievances. So yeah, I got loud about it. It's not my proudest moment, but public sentiment and interest are important tools in balancing the scales against the well resourced in disputes like this.  

Upon seeking justice against my debtors in The Superior Court of Ontario, I was counter-sued for defamation. This is a popular tactic of well-heeled individuals that is meritless and a naked attack on free speech from privliedge individuals who are content to live as public individuals but want "final cut" on the public conversation about them.

The use of litigation, strategically, to try to silence people unjustly is known as SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation.)

Thankfully, recent Ontario anti-slapp legislation has mitigated this unfair power.

These new laws allow someone like me, instead of spending a life-changing amount of money to defend against this alleged defamation, to go directly to the court and say, "This is illegal. X entity is suing me to silence me out of fear of financial ruin, and you need to toss this, now, to end their advantage of expense".

Buuuuuut….. this is where you make an heroic contribution. 

What one says, has to be true and has to be "in the public interest". I believe this is.   

The Supreme Court has said, "It is enough that some segment of the community would have a genuine interest in receiving information on the subject."

 

The production community, you, are that segment. The rich and powerful want to avoid paying their bills, finance their efforts off the backs of small businesses, and silence us into financial ruin for telling the truth.  Do I have to talk you into being against this?

 

By signing this petition, you're saying you're a member of the Canadian production industry and value the protections our Charter provides in sharing our experiences as business people and industry participants.   

 

Thank you for your support in pushing back at a time when power holders most need to reminded of thier equlity.

 

Please sign and share to send a message that we will be not relgated into a second class citizenry by the widening wealth gap and its associated power gap.