Minute by Minute Anthony Wilson-Smith
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45 Filming the Kenojuak Ashevak Heritage Minute in Cape Dorset, NU. Historica Canada photo Canada at 150: Minute by Minute Anthony Wilson-Smith When the Heritage Minutes débuted in 1991, it seemed hat becomes a legend so foreign—so somehow un-Canadian—to be drama- most? In Canada, our W national legends include tizing much less glorifying our own relatively brief but bearded figures with swords and or- colourful story that they were greeted with a sort of awed nate pantaloons, women in wartime cognitive dissonance followed by gleeful parody. Now, nursing costumes and indigenous soldiers fending off American invad- they are as much a part of Canadian culture as hockey, ers during the War of 1812. Some of Tim Hortons and maple beer. Contributing writer and the people telling those stories are Historica Canada President Anthony Wilson-Smith Colm Feore, Dan Aykroyd, Graham Greene, Kate Nelligan, Jean l’Italien celebrates one of his favourite parts of the job. (Lance e t Compte; Virginie) and Jared Keeso (19-2 and LetterKenny.) The set- tings range from the bright lights of big cities to dimly-lit hockey rinks, an July/August 2017 46 old movie theatre, operating rooms, and the frigid beauty of Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Those elements are all key components of stories that are, as the saying goes, ‘a part of our heri- tage’. In other words, they are Heri- tage Minutes. Over the last year, the Minutes—there are more than 80—had close to six million views. They aired on television across the country more than 116,000 times. You can The cast of the Winnipeg Falcons Minute, with Jared Keeso as coach, on set. Historica Canada photo see them on national airlines and Via Rail trains, and on fman (still a member of our Historica scribe the Minutes as ‘certifiably150 video screens in high-rise Canada board) and his reflections per cent Canadian.’ office buildings. more than three decades ago. As Charles recalls, he was frustrated that From the outset, the producers paid young Canadians then had little idea tribute to the country’s linguistic du- of their country’s history, and few ality, including Minutes on the artist means of correcting that. “No society Paul-Emile Borduas; the early 20th century singer La Bolduc; 19th cen- The Minutes—produced by Historica can be of merit unless it has heroines, tury journalist Etienne Parent; and, Canada, the non-profit organization heroes and myths,” he said recently. more recently, a Minute on the key where I work—are now 25 years old. “While there were many in Canada, Their format, 60-second vignettes hardly anyone knew of them, nor role played by Sir George-Etienne that tell stories of memorable Cana- that they had had a marked effect on Cartier in bringing about Confedera- dian events and people, is as familiar our society.” With a small team that tion. To their credit, they also decided to most Canadians as it is unique. As included Thomas Axworthy, Michael to show dark aspects of our history as well as celebrated ones. A Minute on we approach the 150th anniversary Levine, Patrick Watson and others, construction of the national railway of Confederation, two new Minutes they came up with the idea of ‘sell- depicts the exploitation of migrant are set for release (stay tuned!) and ing’ Canadian history with 60 sec- Chinese workers. Others with indig- more are in the pipeline. The stories ond stories—just like most television enous themes depicted both tragedies and format many Canadians saw commercials of that time. for the first time as interstitials dur- and contributions. One on Aboriginal World War One hero Tommy Prince ing children’s programs are not only rom the start, the Minutes describes his struggles against preju- surviving, but thriving. Since our re- told tales Canadians hadn’t dice upon returning from war, while turn in 2012 from a seven-year hiatus heard, in a format no one had from Minute-making, the audience F another shows a First Nations family seen before, with plot, character de- teaching settlers how to make ma- for new ones has grown exponential- velopment, and story resolution all ple syrup. Several Minutes focus on ly. Over the last year, the Minutes— within 60 seconds. The bite-sized there are more than 80—had close to women’s struggles for equal rights. format was a good idea then and is six million views. They aired on tele- perhaps even better suited to today’s Today, we seek the same balance. vision across the country more than impatient internet era. Because the On the one hand, we have recently 116,000 times. You can see them on Minutes are Canadian in everything produced (among others) the story of national airlines and Via Rail trains, from casting to set location, crew and Canada’s most successful sports dy- and on video screens in high-rise of- content, they have qualified for spe- nasty (the Edmonton Grads women’s fice buildings. One Minute, on the cial status from the Canadian Radio, basketball team) and the Olympic Nova Scotia civil rights activist Viola Television and Telecommunications champion hockey team the Winni- Desmond, has been seen more than Commission (CRTC). A station airing peg Falcons. On the other, we have one million times online. a Minute can potentially claim credit a Minute on the persecution suffered All of this is thanks, in the first mea- for 90 seconds of Canadian content. by Desmond as a Black Nova Scotian sure, to philanthropist Charles Bron- We thus can and do accurately de- in the 1940s and the wrenching story Policy 47 of Chanie Wenjack, the Indigenous day she was asked to move to the bal- Minute in order of preference, along boy who died running away from a cony of the theatre because she was with critiques. There is also a univer- residential school in the 1960s. black—she refused and was arrest- sity drinking game based on the Min- ed—was Dark Victory. In our opening utes—which, as I advised the student Minute-making starts at about shot, we show her approaching a the- who informed me, I find interesting $150,000 and climbs if special effects atre with that title prominent on the but cannot, for the record, condone. or large casts are required. For every marquee. In the closing shot, a maga- The Minutes are loved by many, Minute, we issue a Request for Pro- zine on a desk is one that was actu- though not by all. Some complain posal (RFP) to which any Canadian ally on sale in the area during that they inadequately summarize the film company can respond. Our most month in 1946. In addition to con- stories they tell. Others dislike the recent drew more than 110 applica- sultants on period dress and speech, approach to individual stories or the tions. Other than two indigenous- we engage experts in and around the selection of topics. themed Minutes funded by the gov- communities we portray to provide a ernment of Ontario, all Minutes since balanced perspective. Our Wenjack 2012 have been paid for by the feder- Minute was co-produced with a pro- e pay attention to those al Department of Canadian Heritage duction company owned and oper- concerns. An event only (with some additional private sup- ated by Indigenous filmmakers, and W happens once, but can be port). To answer an oft-asked ques- shot at a former residential school at interpreted in endless ways. A story tion, no one has tried to influence or the Six Nations reserve near Brant- told in 60 seconds is never complete. engage in the creative process. ford, Ontario. The excellent historian Tim Cook, in his recent book Vimy: The Battle and nother frequently-asked ques- To work on the the Legend, argues that a 1990s Min- tion concerns how we decide ute on the battle makes too much of Minutes is to learn A on the subject of a Minute. Canadian Gen. Sir Arthur Currie at We combine historical research, first-hand what moves the expense of his British superior, polling, consideration of communi- Canadians, whether the Sir Julian Byng. The Minute does ties, topics or regions that have not overarching emotion is not identify Byng as the British com- manding officer to whom Currie is had much previous attention paid to delight, pride, anger or their stories and plain gut sense as to shown speaking in the Minute. The what makes a good story. We ask the sometimes sadness and net effect, Cook writes, is that Byng is teenage participants in our Ottawa- shame. unfairly ‘cast aside’. based Encounters with Canada pro- That sort of debate is healthy. To work gram what they would like to see. on the Minutes is to learn first-hand Film companies seeking to co-pro- what moves Canadians, whether the duce Minutes are encouraged to sug- The most engaging evidence of the overarching emotion is delight, pride, gest topics. We have informal rules Minutes’ status as prime Canadi- anger or sometimes sadness and on what does not make a Minute. ana is the reactions they provoke. shame, as with the Wenjack story. We don’t editorialize in our closing Drop the phrase ‘I smell burnt toast’ When the Minutes succeed, they cre- voiceovers (initially and memorably to someone 25-40 years of age, and ate a desire to learn more—not only voiced by Patrick Watson). We don’t chances are they know it comes from about the event at hand, but ideally, make Minutes on living people.