imagineNATIVE honours Gary Farmer

Gary Farmer was honoured with the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at the 2022 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival on October 22. Gary’s career has spanned more than four decades. He is recognized as a pioneer in the development of First Nations media in Canada and is the founding director of the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network. He has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Male.

Gary’s first major television role was on CBC’s Spirit Bay (1984). He played police captain Joe Stonetree on the TV series Forever Knight (1992 – 1994) and Chief Tom in the CBC First Nations series The Rez (1996). Gary is known for his role as the spiritual, Native American guide Nobody in Dead Man (1995) directed by Jim Jarmusch. Recent credits include Resident Alien, Reservation Dogs, Blood Quantum and The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw.

Past recipients of this award include Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Jackson, Tina Keeper, Michael Greyeyes, Michelle Thrush, Lorne Cardinal and Dr. Shirley Cheechoo. The August Schellenberg Award of Excellence is supported by ACTRA National, a generous donation from Joan Karasevich Schellenberg and individual donors. Visit imaginenative.org for the full list of winners.

Winners of the 2022 ACTRA Awards in Manitoba

The gala to celebrate the ACTRA Awards in Manitoba took place on Saturday, October 22 in the magnificent Bonnie and John Buhler Hall at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Seven performance awards and two special industry recognition awards were presented. The Outstanding Performance in a Feature awards went to Megan Best in Missing and Alone, Summer Howell in Hunter Hunter and Chelsey Mark in First Person Shooter. Paul Essiembre and Adam Hurtig each picked up an Outstanding Performance in a Series Episode award for their respective work in Burden of Truth Season 4. In the Outstanding Performance in a Short category, Charis Ann Wiens won an award for her work in Naval Gazing. Rick Skene took home the Outstanding Stunt Performance award for his work in Flag Day. ACTRA Manitoba honoured Liz Jarvis with the Wayne Nicklas Award for her outstanding achievement and commitment in support of the film and television industry. Cartel Pictures Canada was honoured with ACTRA’s Manitoba Award for exceptional commitment to Manitoba performers. Aleks Paunovic and Joanne Rodriguez co-hosted the ceremony. The ACTRA Awards in Manitoba recognize the accomplishments of ACTRA Manitoba’s talented performers and celebrate Manitoba’s vibrant screen industry.

Alberta’s 2022 Rosie Award Winners

The Alberta Film & Television Awards, fondly known as the Rosies, were awarded in Calgary on September 24. The annual Rosie Awards celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement of Alberta-based productions and film workers who reside in Alberta. Shaun Johnston won the award for Best Performance by an Alberta Actor for his role in the short film Theft. In the Best Host category, Tom Jackson picked up the Award for the Huron Carole 2021, Angels Without Wings. Presented by the Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) in partnership with the Calgary International Film Festival, these were the 48th Rosie Awards. The full list of winners can be viewed here.

2022 ACTRA Awards in the Maritimes

Screen Nova Scotia hosted its eighth annual awards gala on June 18 in the Schooner Ballroom at Casino Nova Scotia. ACTRA Maritimes presented four Outstanding Performance Awards. Beth Amiro won Outstanding Performance by an Actor for her role in Second Wedding, directed by ACTRA Maritimes member Taylor Olson. Alexandra McDonald won for her role as Laura in the feature film Night Blooms. Director Stephanie Joline and producers Marc Tetreault and Jason Levangie’s work on Night Blooms was also recognized with the best feature film award. Reid Price won for his role as Byron in Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor, directed and written by ACTRA Maritimes member Shelley Thompson. Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor is about a young transgender woman from Nova Scotia returning home for her mother’s funeral, trying to rebuild her relationship with her estranged father. Avery Winters-Anthony took home an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance for his role as Travis in the critically-acclaimed Indigenous drama Wildhood – a coming-of-age story and a journey across Mi’kma’ki, by Two-Spirit filmmaker Bretten Hannam.  screennovascotia.com

Canada’s new Stunt Hall of Fame and Inaugural 2022 Inductees

Canadian entertainment history was made on October 13 with the launch of the Canadian Stunt Hall of Fame (CANSHOF). The inaugural inductees have been honoured for their legacy of work and all they have contributed to the evolution of Canada’s world-class stunt community.

“Whether it is a blockbuster movie, a hit television series, or a commercial or video game production, each of the CANSHOF inductees has had a profound impact on the stunt community and screen industry,” said Rick Skene, CANSHOF founder and Committee Chair. “The new CANSHOF will formally pay tribute to the ground-breaking work and dedication of Canada’s stunt professionals. In collaboration with ACTRA National, we are pleased to celebrate the accomplishments of the Canadian stunt community.”

The Canadian Stunt Hall of Fame Committee (Rick Skene, Colin Decker, Mike Scherer, Steve ‘Shack’ Shackleton, Ana Shepherd, Lori Stewart, and Amy Szoke) is dedicated to honouring and serving Canada’s professional stunt community coast-to-coast-to-coast. The website serves as an online archive to celebrate the body of work that has established Canada as a world-class action film destination. www.canshof.ca

Winners of the 2022 ACTRA Awards in Montreal

Hosted by internationally renowned comedian Heidi Foss, the ACTRA Awards in Montreal took place on November 14, 2022, and was Montreal’s first in-person awards gala in three years.

Life memberships were presented to Stunt Coordinator Michael Scherer and ACTRA Montreal Ombudsperson Phyllis Gooden.  Claudia Ferri, ACTRA Montreal’s 2022 Woman of the Year, was recognized for being a passionate advocate for the advancement of women in the industry. 

In total, six performance awards were presented. The Outstanding Voice Performance – masculine went to Vlasta Vrana for his work on Felix and the Treasure of Morgäa. The feminine voice award went to Eleanor Noble for Pil’s Adventures.  For their work on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Emmanuelle Lussier-Martinez and Alex Weiner took home Outstanding Performance in a Videogame Awards.  Outstanding Onscreen Performance went to Ayham Abou Ammar on the film Peace by Chocolate and Sarah Booth for her work on indie feature Last Call.  

Click here for the complete list of 2022 award recipients.

Congratulations to the 2022 UBCP/ACTRA Award Winners

The 2022 UBCP/ACTRA awards ceremony celebrated 11 years of showcasing top B.C. talent during an event on November 19 at the Vancouver Playhouse. The evening began with a star-studded red carpet with Sabrina Furminger interviewing nominees and special guests and was hosted by Actor and comedian Kalyn Miles. Awards were presented in six performance categories: Stephen Lobo won the Best Lead Performance, Male award for his role in Donkeyhead. The Best Lead Performance, Female award went to Agam Darshi also in Donkeyhead. Eric McCormack won the Best Supporting Performance, Male award for his role in Drinkwater, and Leah Gibson won the award for Best Supporting Performance, Female for her role in Joe Pickett – The Most Hated Man in 12 Sleeps. Ian Hanlin won the Best Voice Performance award for his performance in Angry Birds: Summer Madness – Much Ado About Pudding, and Marny Eng, Colby Chartrand, Kevin Fortin, Leif Havdale and Jeff Sanca won the Best Stunt Performance award for their work in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

“I am so grateful to be able to celebrate the exceptional calibre of acting that is represented here tonight,” said Ellie Harvie, UBCP/ACTRA President. We have all enjoyed countless hours of entertainment by the performers who were nominated and it is exciting to think of what we will see from these talented actors in the future. I am proud to be a part of this community.”

The John Juliani Award of Excellence was bestowed posthumously to revered actor Michael Kopsa.

I didn’t really realize how hard this industry would be for a Black actor, until the middle of my first year at theatre school.

I began acting at a really young age, doing community theatre, street theatre, live singing concerts and more by the time I was 10. At 13 years old, I performed a powerful piece about politics and war at Montreal’s Palais de Congrès in front of 2,000 dignitaries from around the world. By 14, I was singing with Crosby, Stills & Nash at Montreal’s Forum in front of almost 20,000 people. At school, I participated in every performance, show and reading available. By 16 years old, I was in love with performing and the people in it with me. I knew it was going to be my future and my career.

I was in a sea of white in my first-year class at theatre school. Although, the three-year program did have other racialized people peppered throughout. Interestingly enough, I had multiple Black teachers. It was the first time I had seen this many Black faces in leadership teaching roles. I was so excited to be there – this was it, my future! And I was going to be taught by someone who looked like me?!

However, halfway through my first year, I felt attacked and picked on constantly, and mostly by my Black teachers.

At my mid-term advisors meeting, with my Black teacher, from New York… I asked her flat out why she, more than all the others, picked on me constantly and was never satisfied with my work. Was I not talented enough? Did she hate me? What was I doing that was so wrong?!

She sat me down and looked deep into my eyes and said, “Girl, if you can’t take it from me, you will never make it out there. They’re going to treat you like shit, they will barely give you crumbs… all because of the colour of your skin. AND you’re a woman! If you survive me, you will have the backbone to get through this business. I think you are great, talented and funny, but you have to be better than everyone else. Or you don’t stand a chance.”

I did what she said. I took the lesson and I became one of the best.

I did leads in the school productions, and even got cast in an all Black show at Centaur Theatre, while still in school. 18 years old, in an all Black cast. The picture still hangs today in the Theatre’s green room. So rare is that picture, that I can count on one hand, how many more times that has occurred in the last 30 years. My picture made it to the wall again 19 years later, and then last winter. Exactly 30 years since the first.

I was doing pretty well as a Black Woman in a sea of white… Then life kicked in, and by end of 2nd year of theatre school, I was a single mother.

Now full of responsibilities and pressure to make this career work. I entered the real world with the belief I would succeed and the advice from my teachers of needing to push harder than anyone else lingering in the back of my mind. I had already proven my talent, managed a few successes, so… this should be relatively easy for me. Right?

I graduated and started auditioning right away.

I was fortunate enough to consistently book a few roles a year. It wasn’t enough to support myself and my child, but it was enough to stay in the game.

After a few years, the exhaustion of raising a child alone while working full-time, on top of offering so much energy to theatre productions, became too much. I knew there had to be a better way so I turned to the film and television industry, which promised shorter hours, more options and WAY more money.

I started booking small ‘Actor’ roles right away, and the money was great! Five years in, I was still working and the Actor roles were slowly getting a little better.

Ten years in, I graduated to Principal roles, however, I couldn’t help but feel tokenized as I was usually the only woman of colour on set. I had an Asian friend who shared my experience regularly. If he was the paramedic/doctor, then I was the cop and vice versa. This lasted for years. But I was working. That’s all that mattered. I was the lucky one, right?

I don’t even know exactly when I noticed… when I realized that the industry didn’t see me. Didn’t reward me for my constant hard work. I just know that after 15+ years in the business, I was still being offered the bottom of the barrel. I would walk onto set, playing Paramedic or Officer #1 role, yet knew everyone on crew and had more projects on my resume then the lead in the movie.

In the real world… I was a woman. I was Black. I was nothing.

I had to put value onto myself, if no one else in the industry would… But it meant, I would also have to be willing to loose. I had to start saying “No”.

So that’s what I did. For the next two-to-three years, casting directors continued to offer me the same one-dimensional roles, even going as far as telling my agent that I was putting my career at risk for turning down these so-called opportunities.

“Doesn’t she want to work? She should count herself lucky, there’s not a lot of roles for people like her.”

I stood my ground and suffered for it. The money was almost non-existent. To find ways to supplement my income and still stay connected to the industry, I began coaching actors professionally. I started with theatre actors who were transitioning into film as that had been my journey and I understood it well. Then I focused on women with children learning how to juggle careers and motherhood. And then I made the distinct decision to focus on historically marginalized communities. The unseen, the unheard, the unsupported.

It grew from teaching acting techniques to sharing life stories, to offering support and resources, to a full-on mission! Teaching them how to not buckle under the micro and macro aggression that we continuously survive in everyday life, never mind on primarily white driven sets, while still telling racially focused stories.

As a single mother in an industry that has consistently favoured men. As a woman of colour, demanding to be seen and respected in an industry that still to this day, favour white folks. I had to smash walls down and forced my way through multiple doors.

But what of the younger generation? Changes made to the industry in the last 15 years, are so minimal.

And the people in power today, are the same of 25 years ago. People of power who have made little growth in comprehending the overwhelming systemic issues we face. Decades, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) performers like me, fighting to be seen. (As well as most marginalized communities!) Fighting for roles that don’t tokenize us. Fighting to have on sets film crews who know lighting for all skin tones, make-up crews carrying proper shades for our skin and hair crews who know how to work with textured hair and for equal treatment and basic respect!

The quest for equitable treatment is a constant. I work closely with ACTRA, who is tackling many issues on multiple levels – including having filed a policy grievance against producers for the inequitable treatment of BIPOC members when it comes to hair and makeup services on set.

In May 2023 there will be an arbitration. Join the fight! (To more about the actual grievance link to the Hair and Makeup page and to ACTRA’s new DEIB microsite.)

And so the fight continues…

To my fellow peers, I say, “Let’s not stop now. We aren’t close, but we are moving forward!”

To the new generation, I say, “Stand for your truths, fight to be heard! Make change, demand better for your future and the ones behind you! But also, listen and learn, for before you, there was a me.”

Mariah Inger has been an actress for over 30 years. She works in Film/TV, Voice, Radio & Theatre. She has had the chance to work with some of the industries finest, both in front and behind the camera. She is currently playing Rhoda, a recurring role on the hit series Transplant. She is also a director, script consultant, creator and Mentor. A mentor to emerging marginalized artists, a teacher at HUMBER College and Co-Program Manager of AMP, (The Artist Mentorship Program at BTW) specializing in the Mentorship of Black Artists from across the country. She is a member of multiple committees, helping to implement better diversity/ inclusion policies and practices needed throughout the industry, including current Chair of Montreal’s ACTRA-DEIB committee (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) and ACTRA National’s Chair of the DEIB committee.

Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell

Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell: Djouliet, full disclosure, I sit on the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors, which has no oversight of/impact on programming decisions! Nonetheless, I’m very proud of The Porter. For me, having been part of the industry for more than 50 years and being a performer who is Black, The Porter is a unique and revolutionary television series. Is it unique and revolutionary for you?

Djouliet Amara: Such a pleasure to meet you! Working on The Porter was such a beautiful experience. I have never been in a single room in Canada filled to the brim with Black artists. The feeling of community, heart, passion and spirit was overwhelming in the best of ways and left me feeling so full. It was a surprise to me that we were Canada’s first all-Black led and Black-run series portraying Canadian Black history. It was an honour to make history with all those beautiful people who I adore so much and hold so dearly in my heart. Revolutionary to the max! We created something gorgeous. 

R. What do you love about your character Corrine?

D. I love Corrine’s devotion to her love of dance and the no-nonsense way about her. The first move in my career as an artist was towards professional dance. It was sweet to bring that part of me out in this role and to be a part of the show’s Emmy nomination for Christian Vincent’s gorgeous choreography. Corrine was the dance star of the stardust!

R. I was born and raised in Texas and had tall, handsome uncles and great-uncles who were porters. My earliest travels by train, as an eight-year-old in the segregated U.S. South, could happen because my uncles could look after me. How do you identify with the realities of Corrine’s world?

D. I think a lot of realities in Corrine’s world still sadly stand true today in a few ways. Racism is still a major issue in the world, but beyond that, colourism (even within race!) exists today. A lot of Corrine’s story revolves around conflicts in colourism and Corrine’s light-skin privilege. I recognize a lot of the world has yet to recognize and understand these issues that stem from white supremacy.

R. Many of your growing-up years were in Winnipeg where The Porter was shot. From 2002 to 2006 I had the pleasure of working for APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) and living in Winnipeg. What unique contributions, if any, did the atmosphere of Winnipeg create to cast and crew as a home shooting location?

D. Yes, I did! Isn’t Winnipeg sweet? I think Winnipeg holds a lot of culture, and it was amazing to be shooting such a meaningful project in the melting pot of Canada. My family, myself included, immigrated to Winnipeg when I was young because there were a lot of people immigrating there. Winnipeg is charming, welcoming, simple. We have a really sick working railway station too, which we used while filming The Porter.

R. Tales of the Hood 3, I didn’t realize we were both actors in this feature until researching for this interview. At age 75, my fantasies came true and I was cast in a feature film! You’ve had that experience several times in your 20s, Djouliet. What do you see as major changes in the past few years for performers who look like us?

D. This is so wild! Tales was my first-ever project! I played four roles in that movie! A super bizarre welcome-to-the-industry moment. I’ve definitely been seeing more diversification of stories lately. More projects are being made by people of different cultures and backgrounds, and there’s this beautiful richness in the work being created. Recently, I’ve attended screenings for some gorgeous films created by Black women — by favourite being The Nanny. Naturally, as more stories are being told from diverse perspectives, more opportunities exist for Persons of Colour in film. There is one thing I would love to see happen in the film industry, though. I notice a lot of creatives will create projects and pat themselves on the back for diverse casting — yet all of their leads will be white. I’ve been thinking a lot about why this is and I think it has a lot to do with the fear of telling a story that isn’t theirs. My thought on that is that not everything has to be that deep, unless it is! Can we tell more stories and not think too much and put a bunch of gloriously unique people with different perspectives in a room and see what happens? I’m curious about this!

D. I just wrapped filming on a project and am answering these questions on a plane back to New York! I’m excited to be back in the city that inspires me the most. I star in a series coming soon to AppleTV+ called The Big Door Prize and I can’t wait for you to see it! It’s a super magical comedy I had the pleasure of creating with a group of wonderful human beings! Like, the loveliest human beings in the world. David West Read (my boss!) and I are the only Canadians involved (I think!). Go Canada! I also wrapped a feature this past summer called Bloody Hell. Not a horror, despite its name. Although I’d love to be a scream queen!

Djouliet Amara is a Canadian actress based in New York City. Soon she will star opposite Chris O’Dowd in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Big Door Prize and opposite Maddie Ziegler and Emily Hampshire in Molly McGlynn’s 2023 traumedy Bloody Hell. She co-stars in the Netflix horror/mystery series Devil in Ohio and has guest-starred on the CW series Riverdale and the CBS series So Help Me Todd, and had recurring roles on the HBO max/CW series Superman & Lois, the CBC/BET+ series The Porter and the Paramount+ series Guilty Party opposite Kate Beckinsale. She co-stars opposite Ayo Edebiri in Netflix’s Hello Goodbye and Everything In Between and opposite Suki Waterhouse in Dark Castle’s Seance. Amara was born in Russia and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her mother is Russian and her father is from Sierra Leone. Amara got her start in the arts when she was a child, focusing in on dance. She eventually moved to NYC to be a professional ballerina and accidentally fell in love with acting in the process. She currently resides in NYC.

An ACTRA member since 1974, Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell received a 2022 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award (GGPAA) for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in Broadcasting. A television executive, performer, scholar and activist, Rita has stood out for her innovation, creativity and inclusion. Rita coordinated ACTRA’s earliest study on diversity, Equal Opportunities to Perform, in 1987, and served on the ACTRA Saskatchewan Branch Council and the National Executive in the 1970s and ‘80s. Driven by her commitment to social justice, she has focused on telling the stories of those whose voices are often unheard. Rita co-founded VisionTV, the world’s first multifaith and multicultural network, and is one of the first Black women in Canada to be a television host and on the national broadcaster’s senior management team. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2005 and named ACTRA National Woman of the Year in 2018.

Marie Kelly
ACTRA National Executive Director

Canada’s film and television industry is making a big impact on-screen and behind-the-scenes. Productions made here are delivering world-class entertainment while breaking economic records, employing thousands of cast and crew, and boosting businesses and communities. From coast-to-coast, here’s what production is looking like in 2022.

Starting on the Atlantic coast, Newfoundland is in the midst of an amazing production year with feature films and multiple series such as Hudson and Rex, Son of a Critch and Surrealestate. This year they entered their first venture into the world of movies-of-the-week (MOWs) with four produced in 2022 and 10 more planned for 2023. It’s all romances and thrillers on the horizon.

These last two years have also been banner production years for ACTRA Maritimes. This past spring, the provincial government announced an $8 million investment in Screen Nova Scotia’s sound stage project along with an additional $15 million over five years for the Content Creator Fund. There are several independent feature films and series in production including season three of Moonshine and the new series Sullivan’s Crossing. Disney’s Washington Black filmed the bulk of the limited series and the CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes was back for its 30^th season. Prince Edward Island’s provincial government announced an expansion of its production incentive, which places the province at a new competitive level with other regions in Canada. Season four of Diggstown was shot in PEI and more productions are coming.  

With over 30 MOWs this year, ACTRA Ottawa is experiencing an all-time high for the branch. Standing in for cities like New York and Philadelphia, from All I Didn’t Want For Christmas, Mistletoe Time Machine, Holiday Heritage, A Christmas Fumble, to the Great Holiday Bake War – these shows are airing now on streaming services and channels including Hallmark, discovery+, W Network and the Oprah Winfrey Network. The Ottawa Film Office reported that local production employed hundreds of people and contributed $28.5 million to the local economy. In addition to the high volume of production in the region, the branch has seen an increase in locally initiated indie productions under ACTRA’s low-budget MIP and AIP agreements.

ACTRA Montreal started the year off with a bang with Disney’s movie of the week The Naughty Nine and Netflix’s series The Recruit carrying over until March. The trend continued into the summer with season two of Ghosts and the U.S. feature film Scream 6. Recently, the branch has been experiencing an unexpected boom in Canadian series such as Pixcom’s Wong and Winchester, KOTV’s Plan B and various videogame projects.

ACTRA Toronto is experiencing the return of many popular television series for subsequent seasons, including the CBC shows Sort Of and Workin’ Moms and Bell Media’s Letterkenny. There have also been record volumes of new producers creating work opportunities for members under the Low Budget Guidelines. Film and television production is rising at an extraordinary rate, providing high-quality job opportunities with new film studios opening across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. In March, Toronto Mayor John Tory praised the city’s screen industry for experiencing historic momentum and expansion in 2021: “More than $2.5 billion in direct spending is a huge achievement and a testament to the strength of this sector. We have seen expansive growth and jobs over the past few years, and along with the continued investments we have made in the infrastructure and workforce I am confident that the growth will continue for years ahead.”

WestJet now has direct flights between Winnipeg and Hollywood, due to Manitoba’s production scene taking off in the last couple of years. New this year, E-One began producing the series The Spencer Sisters and Universal is distributing the locally produced Violent Night. With multiple series, including web series and animation, features and MOWs, ACTRA Manitoba recently relocated their office to a more accessible and efficient workspace to accommodate the increased production.

Thanks to the recent increase of provincial funding for film and television production in Saskatchewan – from $2 million up to $17.5 million in just one year – production is returning to the province. During the bad-old-days in 2013, the provincial government ripped away film and television tax credits. The short-sighted and destructive decision had devastating consequences for our members as it almost completely wiped-out production. This year we’re thrilled to see a new six-episode television series, an MOW and a short film being shot there. Production is expected to be further spurred by the building of the new LED Volume Stage for the series King of Killers set to start production in 2023. According to Creative Saskatchewan CEO Erin Dean, “An investment of this calibre is estimated to result in approximately $32 million in economic activity for Saskatchewan.”

Representing more than $200 million in revenue, Alberta towns Okotoks, High River and Fort Macleod were converted into post-apocalyptic, mutant-filled wastelands during the 11-month production of the HBO series, The Last of Us. Based on the video game with the same name, it is perhaps one of the most expensive series ever to be shot in Canada. Says Calgary film commissioner Luke Azevedo, “The series has been a windfall for Alberta communities”. Also being shot in Alberta are the series’ Ride, My Life with the Walter Boys and Tegan & Sara’s High School. CBC’s Heartland has galloped into it’s 16^th Season.

British Columbia shows no signs of slowing down with well over 60 productions currently filming, such as popular shows The Good Doctor, When Calls the Heart, Riverdale and The Flash. British Columbia’s film and TV production industry hit an all-time record of $4.8 billion in direct spending in the provincial economy in 2021, and in 2022 there is no sign of production slowing down.

Our new golden era of production is being recognized here and around the globe as a multi-billion-dollar screen industry. Part of what has been driving the production boom has been the demand for quality screen entertainment following the pandemic-related pauses. Increased provincial government support and private investments create increased work opportunities for everyone. These new victories reinforce the important role our film and television industry play in terms of financially boosting Canada’s economy.

For those of you who have been following ACTRA’s mission to Keep Canada on our Screens, we are also entering a new era for Canadian storytelling that needs the full attention of our ACTRA membership. While ACTRA welcomes foreign production investment, on the federal level we cannot lose sight of the current threat to Canadian storytelling.

At the time of writing, the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications is discussing amendments to the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11). Senators have a daunting task ahead of them as they consider almost 100 amendments to the Bill – more if Senators introduce changes during their meetings.

Time is running out to get this Bill passed this year. In all likelihood, Bill C-11 won’t receive Royal Assent (the last stage in the legislative process) until early next year.

But ACTRA has good reason to be proud of the work we have done on this file. We have been working tirelessly through government channels, alongside industry partners and with performers for many months to help modernize the Broadcasting Act. We remain supporters of this legislation, which while note perfect, represents a once-in-a-generation moment to update the Act.

We recently learned an amendment will be introduced by one of the Senators to correct the exclusion of online undertakings from the Status of the Artist Act. This represents an important amendment that is a testament to ACTRA’s efforts to protect our existing balance of rights and protections. Canadian creators. We have been leading the charge with government to have this amendment made and it appears the government has heard us and been responsive to our concerns.

There is still much work to be done, including our ongoing effort to remove a section of the Bill that weakens the requirement for broadcasters to use Canadian talent. The Bill currently creates two classes of broadcasters – Canadian broadcasting undertakings and foreign online undertakings – and places different requirements on them. Our concern is that this two-tier approach significantly reduces the requirement for foreign online undertakings to use Canadian creative talent. We continue to raise this issue and are urging Senators to strengthen Bill C-11 by maximizing the use of Canadian talent.

As the legislation moves towards Royal Assent, we will continue working alongside Canada’s screen industry stakeholders. The updated Broadcasting Act must ensure we see ourselves reflected on our screens – or our culture and identity may be lost. But let’s take a moment to be proud of the impact our union has had on a very significant change in the Bill.

As members of the strongest cultural union in Canada, for almost 80 years ACTRA members have fought to protect the ability of performers to make a living and build a career in Canada. We have survived and thrived because of you – our talented, committed and much sought-after performers. It’s also thanks to ACTRA’s collective agreements, public policy work and member solidarity, that we will continue to lead and win this fight. 

Please stay active with your union. Keep informed by reading your E-newsletters and bulletins, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and visit actra.ca.

In solidarity,
Marie Kelly

Eleanor Noble

“Our sibling union…They’ve been locked out for five months in a TV commercials dispute in Canada while their bosses try to tear up their terms and conditions and we’re going to tell them from London to Canada – enough is enough!” said Paul Fleming, General Secretary of Equity UK, as the crowd cheered and waved their signs. Marie Kelly and I, on behalf of ACTRA’s 28,000 members, cheered back in gratitude for their support.”

I was in London, England, recently for the FIA (International Federation of Actors) Executive Committee Meeting. In between meetings I attended a huge rally at London’s King’s Cross station where Equity U.K.’s General Secretary Paul Flemming spoke in support of British union workers. Prior, he mentioned he’d give ACTRA a shout out during his speech. I expected him to say something along the lines of “ACTRA from Canada is here to support you!” But instead, he gave us much more – sharing our plight with thousands of union workers gathered at the event. He stressed how we must always band together around the world in solidarity and help each other.

I was incredibly moved by the support coming in from all directions.

This was the first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic. The room was electric, and the most comforting and inspiring thing is the common bond we all share in this industry around the globe.

One of the more dynamic and inspiring moments was led by ACTRA’s National Executive Director and Lead Negotiator, Marie Kelly. Marie delivered an awe-inspiring speech explaining how the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) is attacking and threatening to break our union. She shared the importance and her appreciation of the incredible solidarity ACTRA members have shown in this fight despite their livelihoods being pulled out from under them and how ACTRA encourages non-union workers to join our union so they too can receive fair compensation for their work as well as benefits, protections and a pension. She spoke passionately against anyone who thinks an ACTRA member isn’t worth every penny they earn thanks to the minimum fees we have bargained into our collective agreements for decades. She energized the room and emphasized how much solidarity means when we have our sibling unions from around the world supporting us. “We will not let anyone at any time ever break our union.”

Our sibling unions around the world support ACTRA performers.

Put forward by ACTRA, FIA unanimously passed a resolution calling on performers to always work under a union contract in all of our jurisdictions. As the entertainment screen media continues to expand internationally, we may increasingly be asked to work on productions shooting in part or entirely outside of the jurisdiction of our union. All performers must check with their union before accepting international engagements. Our international solidarity helps ensure producers of the work are signatory to a union agreement in the country where the work is being performed.

In this polarizing world, there is a growing recognition among workers that they need protection. While the nature of work in the new economy may be evolving, workers’ needs remain the same; working people need the collective power unions provide to ensure a quality of life that includes fair wages, a good pension, reasonable work hours and safe working conditions.

ACTRA works tirelessly to provide to its members some of the best union protections in the country. And in return, ACTRA performers deliver quality work. During this struggle, there is no more important or better time for our members to stand in solidarity. In solidarity, nothing can break us. And I would be remiss if I didn’t also extend gratitude to the talent agents who are willing to share in the burden of financial loss by supporting our members by not pressuring them to work non-union. This is what solidarity looks like. With this solidarity, we will continue the legacy of those members before us who fought for fair wages and safe workplaces by strengthening the foundation on which a better union will stand.

At this pivotal moment in our union’s history we must unite in demanding – through tough negotiations – real change and a rebalancing of social and economic priorities. Now, more than ever, our resistance as artists is essential. As a union, we must redouble our efforts to protect the work so ACTRA members can continue to make a dignified living from their craft, now and into the future.

In solidarity, in solidarity, in solidarity!!!

Eleanor Noble
ACTRA National President