Sons of Anarchy star joins protest over Sask. film subsidy cut

People from the Saskatchewan filmmaking community, including Sons of Anarchy actor Kim Coates, converged on the legislature Monday to protest against the end of a film and video tax credit.

Proponents of the now-cancelled $8 million program say it was vital for keeping the industry alive in Saskatchewan.They say without it, movies and videos will be made elsewhere.

Coates, who's from Saskatoon, has been a vocal opponent of the change and was among a number of protesters who arrived at the legislature on motorcycles.

"Saskatoon born and bred," said Coates, who plays the violent biker Tig in the FX television drama.

"I learned to become an actor there, a smarter person there and a better person there.It's not just about film, and television and digital media; it's about culture.

The provincial government maintains the old tax credit program, killed off in the spring budget, was too expensive and wasn't accomplishing much in terms of developing the industry.

It has since introduced a scaled-down program that it says will cost about $1 million a year, but industry officials have roundly rejected it as an inadequate replacement.

About 300 protesters gathered outside the Legislative Building in Regina, later presentinga petition calling for the cancelled program to be reinstated.