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FALL 2008 The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists The making of The passion of page 4 58028-1 ACTRA.indd 1 8/22/08 10:23:36 AM Friends in all places Christine Webber ACTRA members and fellow supporters demanded More Canada on TV at the annual Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention. It’s not a stretch to say that from our neck of industry, was not permitted to resolve the withdrawal of the clauses in Bill C-10 that the woods we look out tension by supporting a sensible revision would grant the Minister of Heritage powers on a political world that to the bill. That would have been the smart to censor film and video works based on often appears disinter- thing for a government that is actually inter- their content. ested, and in which the opinion of creative ested in the creation of Canada’s cultural Obtaining the endorsement of the people is often treated as an annoyance. identity to do. And, it would have certainly Congress took a solid amount of work to You only have to look at the impressive won over a huge number of creative art- plan and set in motion, and all involved list of filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, ists – who have become concerned with this are to be congratulated. The result is that and producers who have shown up (at a government’s lack of interest in our culture. our resolutions for cultural action are now cost not borne by taxpayers) at the Senate Lately our creative industry seems to in the ‘Action Plan’ of the CLC. In turn, Committee hearings into Bill C-10, amend- be on a razor’s edge. Conditions we don’t our participation in the convention lends ments to the Income Tax Act, and then look control such as the currency exchange rate ACTRA’s support to the entire plan of action at the reactions of the governing party. On and brutal rounds of negotiations between and social change within the labour move- the one hand we have some articulate and our American cousins and the world’s big- ment. The campaign for women’s equality, impassioned creative people arguing for the gest media companies are creating huge the expansion of human rights, solidarity survival of freedom of speech in film and swings in production levels throughout the with Aboriginal Peoples, and the defence of television production (accepting that stric- English-speaking entertainment business. our cultural identity and good jobs in the tures against Criminal Code violations are There is no ‘Easy Street’ for creative art- cultural sector are now among the major appropriate and sufficient). And on the other ists, just as there were no soft and cultivated goals of the CLC. The Congress has com- hand we have our Minister of Finance stating fields ready and waiting for our pioneers. mitted our 3.1 million fellow workers to this that we had better accept that his government There are no welcome mats put out by the ‘Action Plan’ that will lead into the next fed- knows best, and that if the opposition wants corporate world and their enabling govern- eral election. The CLC network of affiliates to ‘cozy up’ with the artists who make films, ments for unionized workers – be they and labour councils are making themselves then he and his fellow brave-hearts will make miners, auto workers, nurses or actors. available to bring our messages to organized the survival of the appalling amendment in We could do with a few friends. As a workers and all politicians at various levels that poorly-conceived bill a matter of confi- matter of fact we have now found 3.1 million of government. dence on which to trigger this country into of them. They are spread across this land. What we have achieved is a convergence a federal election. They are the unionized workers of Canada. of culture and traditional labour such as Well, this country’s artists who do all the In the last week of May, ACTRA par- we have not seen before. Without a doubt, creating in film and television recognize a ticipated in the 25th Convention of the we now know that the work we do with this challenge like that as really bad acting. It’s Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). ACTRA of ours – the work to improve our easy to spot the bravado of a bully. We sent our full complement of delegates industry, our work to create good jobs and It must be rare in our political history from across Canada (all of our National our work to build and protect this country’s that any issue dealing with our film industry Councillors were able to participate) to cultural identity – is not work we do in iso- has created such a stir on Parliament Hill. endorse a composite cultural resolution – lation. We have quite a few good friends. The prolonged attention on this is aston- which the Congress endorsed unanimously ishing. Heavy-handed comments from a as its first item of business. In solidarity, pugilistic Minister have only served to stir The resolution addressed limitations up creative people even further. to foreign ownership of media, income Bravo Minister Flaherty! averaging for artists, called on the It’s a shame that the Minister of government to direct the CRTC to build Heritage, who has acquired a better under- Canadian dramatic programming during Richard Hardacre standing of the tenuous stability of our primetime broadcasting, and demanded the ACTRA National President 2 InterACTRA FALL 2008 58028-1 ACTRA.indd 2 8/27/08 12:52:17 PM ACTRA condemns cuts to arts funding In this issue of InterACTRA... in August, when all eyes were on pResidenT’s MessAge 2 the Olympics, news leaked out of federal cuts to cultural programs by Richard Hardacre that showcase Canada on the world COVeR sTORY 4 stage. ACTRA’s statement called the passchendaele: cuts shocking, short-sighted and not page 4 in the best interests of our business. the passion of paul gross Christine Webber by Susan Coyne see www.actra.ca for our news release and updates. page 7 MeMBeR pROFiLe: CARLO ROTA 7 dinner with Carlo Letters InterACTRA welcomes letters by Neil Crone and feedback. submissions should be no longer than 200 words and may WOMen As CReATORs 9 be edited for length. please send starting up, staring out and withdrawal of the clauses in Bill C-10 that submissions to: [email protected] starting over by Jo Bates, Ruth Lawrence would grant the Minister of Heritage powers Calling all scribes! interested in to censor film and video works based on never-ending glory? Want to contribute and Dawna Wightman their content. content to InterACTRA? please contact Obtaining the endorsement of the [email protected] BRAnCH neWs 12 Congress took a solid amount of work to Updates from Alberta, plan and set in motion, and all involved newfoundland & Labrador, Montreal, are to be congratulated. The result is that page 9 Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and UBCp our resolutions for cultural action are now in the ‘Action Plan’ of the CLC. In turn, WORk HisTORies On AMs 16 our participation in the convention lends by Ferne Downey ACTRA’s support to the entire plan of action and social change within the labour move- Fall 2008 Volume 15, Issue 2 InterACTRA is the official publication of ACTRA AppLAUse 18 ment. The campaign for women’s equality, (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Flashpoint’s debut success, the expansion of human rights, solidarity Radio Artists), a Canadian union of performers Carol Off to receive ACTRA’s John with Aboriginal Peoples, and the defence of affiliated to the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) drainie Award, sMpiA award winners, our cultural identity and good jobs in the and the International Federation of Actors (FIA). InterACTRA is free of charge to all ACTRA members. cultural sector are now among the major karen Hines wins WidC Banff Fellowship EdITORIAL AdvISORY COMMITTEE: Heather goals of the CLC. The Congress has com- Allin, Ferne downey, Keith Martin Gordey, Brian pOLiCY issUes 20 mitted our 3.1 million fellow workers to this Gromoff, Richard Hardacre, Kim Hume, Susan ‘Action Plan’ that will lead into the next fed- Ponting, Carol Taverner, and Stephen Waddell. keep it Canadian! eral election. The CLC network of affiliates CONTRIBuTORS: Jo Bates, Tyrone Benskin, Thor ACTRA in action: CLC, Bill C-10, CRTC and labour councils are making themselves Bishopric, Jennifer Blaney, Mike Burns, Marlene available to bring our messages to organized Cahill, dinah Christie, Chris Cornish, Susan Coyne, pUBLiC pOLiCY 22 Neil Crone, Sharon davidson, Ferne downey, workers and all politicians at various levels Randy duniz, Anna Falsetta, Chris Faulkner, david Copyright reform must improve of government. Gonczol, Holly Guathier-Frankel, Jack Gray, Richard the rights of artists What we have achieved is a convergence Hardacre, Kim Hume, don Jordan, Ruth Lawrence, by Kim Hume Maureen Macdonald, Rob Macklin, Keith Martin of culture and traditional labour such as Gordey, Wayne Nicklas, Karl Pruner, Marit Stiles, we have not seen before. Without a doubt, Howard Storey, Ben Switzer, Stephen Waddell, COMMeRCiAL BARgAining 23 we now know that the work we do with this Christine Webber, and dawna Wightman. UpdATe ACTRA of ours – the work to improve our LAYOuT: Joss Maclennan design www.joss.to page 14 by Marit Stiles industry, our work to create good jobs and Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing. our work to build and protect this country’s All contents are copyright ©2008 ACTRA. All FinAnCiAL sTATeMenTs 2008 24 cultural identity – is not work we do in iso- rights are reserved and contents, in whole or in part, may not be reprinted without permission.