Category: President’s Message

Keep Canada on our Screens
Our call to action for 2020

Your union has spent years lobbying governments to get more Canada on our screens. Our efforts, and those of our industry partners, have been successful, resulting in nationally and internationally acclaimed CanCon shows like Trailer Park Boys, 19-2, Schitt’s Creek, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Workin’ Moms, Letterkenny, Wynonna Earp, Some Assembly Required, Murdoch Mysteries, Heartland, Orphan Black and so many more. And, although foreign, the amount of service work and co-pros across the country continues to grow each year as our dollar, stable tax incentives and talented cast and crew continue to attract productions from around the world.

So, why then, is this year’s call to action Keep Canada on our Screens? Because we not only need to build on the success of our industry but also address the shifting technologies and distribution methods that are changing how we negotiate our contracts and our industry’s funding and business models.

There is no ignoring the huge decrease cable providers are seeing in subscriptions as streaming services are experiencing exponential growth. (It seems there’s a new digital service provider launching every month.) We’ve been lucky to have strong and supportive regulations here in Canada. It’s thanks to these regulations that domestic broadcasters are required to make an investment in Canadian talent. And it’s because of this investment we have lead and large supporting roles for Canadian performers in film and television – roles that allow us to build a career and earn a living as an actor in Canada. If those opportunities are to be protected, these regulations need to be adapted to the digital age. This is why it’s so important for ACTRA, along with our domestic producers, to continue asking our government to hold streaming services to the same standards as Canadian broadcasters.

It’s time to ensure any company earning revenue from delivering content to Canadians, whether through broadcast television or your internet connection, to pay their fair share.

We all know this is not a new concept. Canada has always charged content providers for access to our marketplace. There is no reason foreign over-the-top (OTT) streaming services should not be required to collect HST, pay taxes and contribute to the creation of homegrown content through the Canada Media Fund the same way our domestic broadcasters do. Further, OTTs should also be regulated to make Canadian Content accessible on their service and discoverable on their site. If it is inevitable that streaming services are the future, then we must work doubly hard to ensure Canada has a voice in that future and that our stories can be found by Canadian and international audiences.

Okay. So, what has been the response from our government? We are grateful the previous Liberal majority government was quick to listen and set up public consultations during its mandate to explore changes to the Broadcasting Act, the Telecommunications Act and the Copyright Act, the underpinnings of our domestic industry. But, we were disappointed to hear the report from the Broadcasting and Telecommunications consultation would not be released until January of 2020… after the federal election. The good news is the Liberals were re-elected with a minority government so this means we have a good chance of seeing action on these files. And we hope cultural supporters in other parties will work alongside the Liberals and our industry to act quickly to implement the changes needed to strengthen the production sector.

In fact, the Prime Minister has already delivered a strong mandate to Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, instructing him to “introduce legislation by the end of 2020 that will take appropriate measures to ensure that all content providers, including internet giants, offer meaningful levels of Canadian content in their catalogues.” This will be an important first step. Minister Guilbeault even met with industry leaders in Toronto during his first week on the job. We look forward to seeing the report, mentioned above, released in the next few weeks. We hope it will help build our industry into the future.

So, what can you do to help secure a future for Canadian artists? Remind your Member of Parliament, regardless of their political party, how important culture is to Canada and to the voters in their riding. We can all be proud of the $9 billion industry we’ve built across Canada that employs 85,000 Canadians. This shows the arts matter.

In other matters, I want to thank every member who stepped up to run for a local ACTRA Branch Council last fall and to congratulate each of you who was elected. We’ll also be negotiating the National Commercial Agreement later this spring (make sure you read our NED Marie Kelly’s article, which touches on upcoming negotiations). There are so many important files to watch in 2020. In challenging fiscal times, it can be difficult to maintain our focus and to support our shared priorities, but I am pleased to say ACTRA members from coast to coast always work together to find a way.

I’m glad we’re all in this together.

Keep Canada on our Screens!

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Let’s stand up for culture

The year 2007 was fraught with frustration as professional ACTRA performers haggled with producers for fair pay when our work was used online. Our frustration escalated and eventually led to the first strike in our union’s then over 60-year-history.

Twelve years later, digital is still disrupting our industry. While our own collective agreements have evolved to guarantee we’re paid fairly for Internet use, it is our federal politicians who have fallen behind in adapting to the digital economy.
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Over-the-top players like Netflix and Amazon Prime continue to get a free ride in Canada, taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of our economy with no requirement to contribute in the form of HST, the creation of Cancon and making Canadian programming accessible. Two EU countries (France and Hungary) plus Turkey have already started taxing Internet companies’ revenues with Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the U.K. looking to follow suit. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan, Russia and several U.S. states also impose sales taxes on digital players.

Last fall, the European Union approved a new Audiovisual Directive requiring video-on-demand services to devote at least 30 per cent of their catalogue to European content and to contribute to the development of European audiovisual productions, either through a direct investment in content or a contribution to national funds.

Two Canadian provinces are also ahead of the game with both Quebec and Saskatchewan introducing legislation earlier this year requiring provincial sales tax to be collected on digital players. Even Netflix has stated, on record, it would comply with any government legislation, but no one’s asked it to.

What we’ve seen at the federal level in Canada over the last four years are numerous studies, reviews and public consultations about key pieces of legislation affecting our industry, including the Broadcasting Act, Telecommunications Act and the Copyright Act. Problem is, although these public consultations have taken place, legislation has yet to be changed and will not be addressed until January of 2020.

With the federal election coming up on October 21, it’s critical we collectively shine a spotlight on issues affecting Canadian performers and the film, television and digital media industry. We must step up and make our voices heard because this election may very well be a pivotal point in our country’s cultural history.

It’s up to us, as artists, to each play a role in electing a government that supports arts and culture. Let’s vote for a government that will Keep Canada on our Screens. We need to show politicians we’re not just characters on screens.

We’re their neighbours and their constituents. It’s because of our professionalism and our work with governments and industry partners that we continue to attract productions from around the globe. Last year, Canada saw almost $9 billion in production and 179,000 full-time equivalent jobs in film and television, contributing $12.8 billion to our country’s GDP.

So, get involved. Talk to your local candidates – whether it’s at a debate or a town hall, when you run into them at a community event or when they come knocking on your door – take the opportunity to ask them a question about the film and television industry, such as:

• Will they level the playing field so all players in the Canadian market – domestic and foreign, traditional and digital – are held to the same standards in terms of taxation, production contributions and discoverability of Canadian content?
• Will they provide long-term, stable funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada Media Fund, National Film Board and Telefilm Canada?
• Will they deliver a made-in-Canada copyright solution that respects audiovisual performers and ensures we are properly compensated for our work, including the extension of economic and moral rights to audiovisual artists?Have your say in this election! Vote for your industry; the industry that helps pay your bills. Vote for your career and for the betterment of Canada through culture. Don’t leave the choice of government up to others. Demand more from your government. Ask questions. And most importantly, VOTE on October 21.

  In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

The federal election on October 21 may be a pivotal point in Canada’s cultural history. Now is the time to step up, make our voices heard and to collectively shine a spotlight on issues affecting Canadian performers and the film, television and digital media industry.

Together, with the DGC and IATSE, ACTRA has launched the Just Ask campaign (justask2019.ca; jemimplique2019.ca) with the goal of mobilizing our combined 50,000+ members across Canada to make sure this election counts. Every voice matters. Your voice matters. Pledge to attend one election-related event this fall and to ask your local candidates at least one question about our industry.

Get involved! Challenge your local candidates. Put them on the spot. Whether you go to a debate or a town hall, run into them at the farmers’ market or when they come knocking on your door, take the opportunity to ask them a question about their position on the film and television industry.

Such as:

• Why is Canadian culture important to you?
• If elected, what will you do to ensure the sustainability and growth of Canadian culture?
• Where do you stand on investment in Canadian content production?
• Has your party made culture-specific commitments part of their platform, specifically creating a level playing field so all content producers – domestic and foreign, traditional and digital – are held to the same high standards in terms of taxation and contributions to Canadian content production?

There’s a lot at stake for our cultural industries in this election. Over the last four years, numerous studies and reviews were launched about key legislation affecting our industry, including the Broadcasting Act, Telecommunications Act and the Copyright Act. Even the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) was sent back to the table to rework a decision it made about Canadian content spending. Problem is, although public consultations took place, legislation has yet to be changed.

If we, as Canadians, don’t elect a government that supports arts and culture, Canadian culture, Canadian voices, the CBC, the NFB and CanCon are all at stake, period. We need to ensure the next generation of Canadians can not only enjoy a robust Canadian culture but can continue to project it to the world. Let’s vote for a government that will Keep Canada on our Screens.

So, have your say in this election! Vote for your industry; the industry that helps pay your bills. Vote for your career and for the betterment of Canada through culture. Don’t leave the choice of government up to others. Demand more from your government. Ask questions. VOTE!

‍Just Ask and I’ll see you at the polls!

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Labour Day Message

This year, ACTRA will be celebrating Labour Day from coast to coast. Why do we march and celebrate? Because actors are workers too. Arts workers have helped weave the fabric of our nation and project Canada to the world.

Participating in a Labour Day parade or event is not only fun but a great opportunity to network with your fellow ACTRA members and show you’re an important part of our strong cultural labour union. Events like this strengthen our industry and community and show the public that labour unions in Canada are enduring and still advocating on behalf of all workers.

Showing support for your union, industry and the broader labour movement helps send a powerful message to all levels of government that the rights of workers need to be protected. Our collective voices make us stronger, especially in an election year.

To me, participating in a Labour Day event means lending my voice, being an advocate, being an activist, being an ACTRAvist… getting out of my armchair to play one of the most important roles in my acting career. It’s about making sure politicians and the community know we’re more than characters on the TV. We’re their neighbours, their constituents, and we’re workers.

Canadians should be proud of the strong union presence we have in our country. Every job, union or not, has been made better by the work of unions. And with the federal election coming up on October 21, it’s a good time to remind everyone about the importance of having a government that puts the environment, social responsibility and the rights of workers above corporate profits.

Your professionalism and our work with governments and industry partners continue to attract production from around the globe. Last year we saw $9 billion in production and almost 179,000 FTE jobs in film and TV. There have never been more work opportunities for ACTRA members than right now. That’s worth celebrating!

Still, Canadian performers will face more bargaining challenges in the coming years. New, disruptive technologies are changing our industry, which makes it even more important our union stays relevant, adapts to change and remains a leader in bargaining. We will continue to unabashedly negotiate for better health and safety, respect on set and anti-harassment clauses, and fair compensation including future-proofing Use fees. Your performance has real monetary value. You should always share in it.

This Labour Day, take a minute to recognize the people – past and present – who have contributed to the creation and longevity of our business, our union and the labour movement in Canada, and the resulting rights and benefits now enjoyed by all Canadian workers and every ACTRA member. Have a wonderful and safe Labour Day!

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

New NED, New Helpline, Next Government

As your National President, I am pleased to welcome Marie Kelly as our new National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator. Marie brings to us years of leadership expertise in the labour movement and a strong vision for our future as unionized professional performers. Marie is a labour lawyer who possesses strategic foresight in the areas of bargaining, promoting gender equity and fighting for workers’ rights. She comes to ACTRA after six years at the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) where she represented more than 65,000 nurses and most recently held the role of CEO/CAO. Prior to ONA, Marie worked for the United Steelworkers where, over the course of 22 years, she became the first woman in North America to be appointed Assistant Director.

Marie replaces Stephen Waddell who, for almost 40 years, helped lead our union in the creation of some of the most ground-breaking collective agreements in the world. We thank Stephen for his devotion to ACTRA. He will stay with us to share his knowledge in the role of Executive Advisor for the next 17 months.

I hope you each have an opportunity to meet Marie over the next few months as she travels to attend branch AGMs and award celebrations. I thank the members who stepped up to be a part of the Succession Planning Committee: National Vice President Keith Martin Gordey, National Treasurer Theresa Tova, National Past President Ferne Downey, National Councillor Jan Skene and National Councillor Francine Deschepper. It was a pleasure to lead such a knowledgeable and responsible team. We should all thank them and our staff advisors, Anna Bucci and Stephen Waddell, for their strong insights and wise council. With Maire’s guidance, our member-led union will continue to set the industry standard for performer rights and respect anywhere in the world.

‍New leadership opportunities for our country are also on the horizon. We’ve been to Ottawa many times over the last three years asking the Trudeau government to consider real changes to the Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Copyright Acts along with new directives for the CRTC. While the Liberal government did hold consultations, Canadians are now being told any possible changes stemming from these consultations will not be initiated until after the upcoming election. It’s disappointing… but, it’s also motivating. Make sure you seek out your local candidates from every party; ask them where they stand on a strong Canadian film and TV industry, on a well-funded CBC/Radio-Canada, and on a level playing field for Canadian domestic and over-the-top content providers. Our Public Policy and Communications Director Lisa Blanchette’s article on how to lobby is a good starting place!
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Our cultural businesses are complex. Governments can make or break our industry. We flourish when supported and can be devastated in an instant. Let’s flashback to 2015 when the Nova Scotia Liberal Government blindsided the industry by cutting the film tax credit, which undid the province’s production industry in just 20 minutes… a high-functioning industry that had taken 20 years to build. ACTRA member Jonathan Torrens noted in his “Demolished Film Communities” ACTRA Magazine article, “In the blink of an eye, in one ill-conceived budget, we were rendered non-competitive by a group of people I’m still not convinced could explain how the system even worked.”

Let’s use this pre-election window as our opportunity to both educate and interview candidates. ACTRA is not affiliated with any one party so when you meet with a Liberal, NDP, Conservative or Green party candidate, I encourage you to ask them if they agree that a strong Canada depends on a strong cultural sector. Ask them if they realize our Canadian entertainment industry is an economic driver with huge potential. Let’s face it, if they haven’t included these answers in their campaign platforms, maybe they’re not ready to lead our country.

In June, we’ll be rolling out our new national joint ACTRA-DGC helpline. We’ll be offering 24/7 critical incident reporting as well as confidential counselling services for our members. I encourage you to read Theresa Tova’s story, “Creating a cultural shift one step at a time.”

I am also excited to report we recently launched ACTRAonlinecommercials.ca! Our new website was created specifically for advertisers and advertising agencies to work ACTRA with ease. This will support the popular ACTRAonline Opportunity Pilot Project (AOPP), negotiated in the last National Commercial Agreement (NCA), which was created to entice the digital commercial jurisdiction to “go union”. Non-union commercials – or any non-union work in our jurisdiction – is simply not acceptable. We have stood by SAG-AFTRA during its strike against advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Inc. for this very reason.

‍We’ve saved trees this year starting with the launch of our first digital-only edition of ACTRA Magazine (if you haven’t already, check out our Winter 2019 issue). And… we’ve decided to move from two to three digital issues per year! Watch for member e-blasts, visit www.actra.ca and follow ACTRA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube! I encourage you to get involved and stay informed about what’s happening across your favourite union.
In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

ACTRA Members are the Champions, My Friends!

Two thousand and eighteen was a year of true celebration marking 75 years of impressive ACTRA advocacy on behalf of performers and the arts in Canada. It was also a year of important negotiations that led to better compensation and respect for all. And, it was a chance to meet and hear from talented ACTRAvists from every branch, who are excelling at their craft, projecting our Canadian talent to the world and working hard for their fellow members across this great land.
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First, to every elected member of the branch councils and National Council and to every passionate performer who gives of their time to sit on a committee or advocate for a cause or volunteer at an event, I thank you on behalf of our 25,000 members. You make a difference and are helping us build a stronger union and industry for future generations.
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Last year saw far too many champions to name here… but let’s give it a try.
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Shelley Thompson was selected as the recipient of the Woman in the Director’s Chair Feature Film Award, which will support the creation of her first feature to be shot in Nova Scotia this summer. This win underlines her exceptional work starring in numerous films and TV roles, including eleven seasons on The Trailer Park Boys. And if she wasn’t busy enough, Shelley formerly served on the ACTRA Maritimes Council and is past Chair of the Women’s Committee.
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Don Jordan opened doors for a generation of diverse performers in Canada and received the 2018 ACTRA Montreal Award of Excellence. An accomplished actor, singer, dancer and choreographer, Don served as President of ACTRA Montreal from 2007 to 2016.

Industry mentor Jennifer Clement received UBCP/ACTRA’s Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award. As Head of the Acting Department at the Vancouver Film School, Jennifer’s passion is to train, nurture and empower the next generation of performers. She spoke passionately at the UBCP/ACTRA Awards Gala about the advancement of women in our industry.

Two thousand and eighteen saw ACTRA Toronto Councillor Tantoo Cardinal win both the Toronto Film Critics Association Award and the Whistler Film Festival Award. This internationally recognized star continues to advocate for indigenous performers and for all diverse members and speaks to advance the true history of Canada through cinema.

At 19, Mustafa Alabssi is one of ACTRA Saskatchewan’s newest members. He has an incredible story to tell. As a deaf performer and a Syrian refugee, he has faced his share of challenges, however, just three months after his first stage play, he was cast in the Netflix series Black Summer. The “genuineness” of his performance won him the role. I’m sure we’ll see much more from Mustafa.

Heartland won the 2018 Alberta “Rosie” for Best Dramatic Series and… returning in 2019 for season 12, is the longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian television history. Congrats to Amber Marshall, Graham Wardle, Michelle Morgan, Shaun Johnston, Alisha Newton, Nathaniel Arcand and to all of the exceptional ACTRA Alberta members who make this series so compelling.

Out on the rock, Robert Joy was honoured with the 2018 ACTRA Newfoundland & Labrador Award of Excellence. A true gentleman, Robert is known for his mentorship of local performers as he often returns home to support the film work of emerging artists. Television audiences may best recognize him for his role-playing Sid Hammerback on CSI: NY for eight seasons or from the hit series Codco or from a little movie he did with Madonna called Desperately Seeking Susan.
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Rita Shelton Deverell was our 2018 ACTRA National Woman of the Year. She has done so much throughout her career to promote diversity in every corner of the media.
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In the coming year Jayne Eastwood’s five-decade long career will be celebrated as she receives the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence. A much-welcomed lobbyist on Parliament Hill, Jayne speaks strongly on ACTRA’s behalf and is known industry-wide for roles in Goin’ Down the Road, SCTV, The King of Kensington and so many more.

Montreal’s Jay Baruchel is the 2019 ACTRA National Award of Excellence winner this year. Starting as a child performer, he is now a celebrated writer and director with a passion for Canadian storytelling.

Last fall you voted and made a difference. The team of Blair Young (Alberta), Tristan D. Lalla (Montreal), Shawn Doyle (Toronto), Theresa Tova (Toronto) and Richard Young (Toronto), along with our Alternates, Eleanor Noble (Montreal), Catherine Disher (Toronto) and David Gale (Toronto), negotiated a new Independent Production Agreement (IPA) with the help of Observers Paul Dzenkiw (UBCP/ACTRA), National Vice President Keith Martin Gordey, Toronto Background Advocate Shereen Airth, stunt performers Angelica Lisk-Hann and Steve Shackleton, and voice actor Linda Ballantyne. It was a pleasure to work with this thoughtful group and I thank each of them for their wise counsel and for the many late nights. Thanks also to those members who shared ideas at focus groups across the country.

The advances we made during this round of negotiations will serve our members well into the future. As chair of the negotiating committee and on behalf of our 25,000 members, I extend our deepest gratitude to our 2018 ACTRA IPA negotiating committee and to our dedicated and knowledgeable staff for a tough job done well.

In this first digital issue of ACTRA Magazine, you’ll read about many more members who are doing selfless work on behalf of us all. Please check out our applause section and then, I bet you know of many others who are champions for our industry. So we encourage you to share your stories and accolades about your peers, our exceptional members – be sure to tag us @ACTRAnat and include the hashtag #actra.
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Two thousand and nineteen promises to be an exciting and challenging year. With new studios in the planning stages in many jurisdictions, we must keep our chops up and be ready for when work opportunities come a-knockin.’ With a federal election also in the offing, we must all be active, vocal and diligent. The future of our member-built union and our industry relies on the efforts of ACTRA members just like you.
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Have a fantastic year!

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Friday, October 5, 2018

Update on progress in creating respectful workplaces

Over the past year, ACTRA has been and remains dedicated to preventing and reducing harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence within our union and the broader Canadian creative industry. While progress has been made over the last 12 months, there is still more work to be done.

The first step was to convene a group of creative industry stakeholders to collaborate on an industry-wide response to sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence. After this meeting in November 2017, the group released a joint statement committing to zero tolerance for harassment in all its forms and established working groups to develop an industry Code of Conduct, explore safer reporting measures, and review opportunities for industry-wide education and training.

A series of industry stakeholder meetings continued over the winter months and, on March 8, 2018, the Canadian Creative Industries released their Code of Conduct (www.readthecode.ca), which lists useful steps to better identify, address and prevent harassment.

Since becoming signatory in March, our union has remained dedicated to executing these steps to better serve our members. These include identifying and implementing policies and procedures for members to report experiences of harassment as well as creating a process to quickly address reports.

In spring 2018, ACTRA contracted a Respectful Workplaces Advisor who, along with ACTRA’s legal counsel, have guided us through a review of our union’s policies and procedures. They have advised us on making the necessary changes to ensure our union has appropriate guidelines and measures in place to assist and protect members who have experienced harassment or assault.

In June 2018, ACTRA’s National Council unanimously passed amendments to our Constitution and By-Laws to better protect our membership. Specifically, By-Law #17 was amended to set clearer guidelines to ensure respect on set as well as consequences for members who engage in harassing behaviour.

Additional changes to this By-Law include:

• Clearly laying out members’ responsibilities to uphold workplace, industry and union environments free from harassment and discrimination;
• Creating a separate and expedited process for complaints of harassment and discrimination;
• Giving the union the ability to initiate or pursue a complaint even if there has been no formal complaint; and
• Creating a separate and expedited process for complaints of harassment and discrimination including proportional consequences and reporting of discipline decisions.

Our branches have also undertaken various initiatives within their own memberships to create respectful workplaces, including holding safe space membership meetings, town halls, and education and training sessions as well as providing access to other resources. If you are interested in learning more about other initiatives available to members, please contact your branch.

Your union remains committed to continuing a dialogue and working with our industry partners on this shared responsibility to address these issues. We will provide further updates on any future ACTRA initiatives as they become available.

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Today’s ACTRAvists are tomorrow’s pioneers
Setting the stage for future generations of professional performers over the next 75 years.

Dear ACTRA members,

As we stand on the shoulders of the dedicated member volunteers who laid the foundation for our successful and respect-ed union, today members from across the country are working hard on our behalf.

In recent months, I’ve had the pleasure of attending many branch AGMs and 75th-anniversary celebrations. I’m thrilled to report our members across Canada are sharing their ideas and experience as they work to make ACTRA stronger.

From our dynamic bargaining teams, to our dedicated policy leaders, to our many national and branch committees—our 75 years of achievements for this union have been extraordinary. ACTRA is the go-to voice on the arts in Canada; the FIRST artists’ union to establish minimum fees and Use rights for digital media and the FIRST to land a national contract for videogame production. ACTRA members are setting the standards for performers’ unions all around the world.

Since the dawn of the Internet and the digital age, we’ve made it clear that professional performers will not work for free and, in 2007, we called the first strike in our union’s history for that very reason. In every negotiation, we demand fair compensation and credit for our work, safe work environments and the respect we deserve for the important value our work adds to production.

Our commitment to support each other is essential for our collective safety. We’ve negotiated rules into our agreements to ensure a safe environment for children working on ACTRA sets and we’ve lobbied to extend those provisions into provincial laws to protect all children working in the entertainment sector. Our National Bar-gaining Committee is currently negotiating the CBC Agreement and next up will be one of our largest collective agreements, the Independent Production Agreement (IPA). Please watch for IPA bargaining updates in the coming months as we’ll need your support.

This past June, our National Council met to give thoughtful oversight to our finances, work opportunities, governance, changing technologies, Canadian production, political policies and more. We’ve updated our ACTRA Equality Statement and released our new industry-wide Code of Conduct addressing harassment. And, as members of the International Federation of Actors (FIA), we are committed to global solidarity and the support of diversity, inclusion, gender parity, accessibility and zero tolerance for harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and violence in all workspaces.

As part of the Canadian Unions for Equality on Screen (CUES), our National Women’s Committee has produced ground-breaking gender reports and our award-winning Reel Women Seen advocacy video will be released online this fall. Our National Diversity Committee has launched over 10 advocacy videos that have been screened across the country, including the (perhaps first-ever) guide for auditioning deaf performers, “Tips Guide for Auditioning Deaf Actors.” You can find all on www.actra.ca.

Our National Stunt Committee represents our world-class community of professional stunt performers and stunt coordinators. UBCP/ACTRA’s stunt committee recently hosted a Concussion Support Group meeting. Our branch committees and members are working together to keep every perform-er and set both safe and respectful.

Our National Diversity Committee meets regularly to share initiatives from all of our branches, including the efforts of Toronto’s Sandi Ross #ShareTheScreen Awards, which goes to a producer and to a writer who champion inclusion in their work.

We are a member-run union, addressing member concerns. It’s important we take charge of our careers by ensuring we members are helping inform staff and motivate policy. This is where committee work comes in: Voice, Background, LGBTQ, Apprentice, videogaming and more. Your voice matters.

Our Young Emerging Actors Assemblies in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are busy creating their own film work, mentorship opportunities, festival partnerships and much more. The Act Your Age Committee in Toronto and PAL Canada’s Supporting Cast are also both launching initiatives devoted to supporting the careers of our seasoned performers.

Many of our volunteer members need to be thanked for sharing their time and energy—for engaging in union activism. I encourage everyone to find out who is step-ping up to work at your branch and then to let them know you appreciate their efforts.

I’ve been a member since 1992 and have learned ACTRA is about all the 25,000 of us, from coast-to-coast-to-coast, standing together. I am inspired by the ongoing committee work at the branch and national levels. If you’d like to do more to support your union, check out what’s happening at your branch. I encourage you to get involved, and share your experiences and ideas.

We’re a member-built union and our future depends on the continued efforts of ACTRA members just like you.

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Celebrating our Past, Charting our Future

Dear ACTRA members,

Seventy-five years ago, an intrepid group of voice performers stormed out of the CBC demanding better wages and a little respect for the work they were doing entertaining Canadians. That strike was short-lived and successful! Few recognized it as the spark that would create a vibrant national union . . . ACTRA. In short order, groups in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg realized there was strength in numbers. In 1943, they decided to form a national coalition.

Now, as we celebrate 75 years of union activism in the arts, we stand on the shoulders of those early members and all the others who have since volunteered to make things better and more secure for performers working in the audiovisual sector. Those first inspired activists probably never imagined what their walkout would become. In 2016, the film & TV sector in Canada grew to over $7 billion in production spending and created over 140 thousand Full-time Equivalent (FTE) jobs. ACTRA has and continues to play a large role in building our important domestic industry. Performers have always been and remain the face of Canadian culture. Through the diversity of our performances, we have helped to define what it is to be Canadian. We project Canada to the world, supporting all kinds of Canadian business pursuits, including tourism, immigration and more. Our industry is an important driver of the Canadian economy.

ACTRA is also the go-to voice on the arts in Canada and we punch above our weight on the international stage too, taking a leading role in discussions surrounding the best of contract provisions and on intellectual property rights for audiovisual artists. Our union was the first to negotiate terms for Internet Use. We were the first to land a national contract for videogame production . . . the only such contract to include terms for residual Use. Our last Independent Production Agreement (IPA) landed Use provisions that now see work broadcast in Digital Media treated the same as work done for conventional broadcast. Similarly, our latest National Commercial Agreement (NCA) sees members better compensated with full session fees and increased Use fees for digital commercials. We do this important work because change is happening . . . constantly.

With each change, we’re told by our producer/engager partners, “This may not catch on. We’re not sure how to monetize this. Be flexible.” Fortunately, successive groups of member volunteers and staff have figured out the necessary steps and always worked to put performers first. Their efforts include work done on everything from contracts, to work opportunities, health & safety, respect on set, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, political lobbying, industry relations, pension & retirement (AFBS), CASCU—the bank for performers—and so many more import-ant initiatives.

So, YES! As self-employed workers in the arts, we stand on the shoulders of those leader members who stepped up and laid the foundation for all the benefits we enjoy today. To them I say, “Thank you and well done.”

However, lest you think the work of our generation is done . . . with 2018 bringing reviews of the Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Copyright Acts, along with a fresh mandate letter for the new CRTC Chair and the renegotiation of NAFTA under the still looming spectre of the TPP, now is the time for Canadians and ACTRA members, concerned about their cultural future, to pay close attention and demand that we set our own cultural agenda. We have a government that is willing to talk and appears to be listening; but will it follow through? Its recent deal with Netflix would suggest the devil is in the details and we still have work to do.

It’s 2018. We know what the Internet is now. Smart people have learned to monetize content delivered through the Internet pipeline. Just as we regulated signals through the air, cable and satellite, the time has come to regulate the Internet and to collect on the real value our Canadian marketplace offers. So, YES. Over-the-top streaming services should pay to support the creation of Canadian content and should follow the same rules to which we hold our domestic broadcasters. Last year over $730 million dollars in subscription fees left Canada bound for Netflix. Netflix paid no GST, no corporate tax, and contributed nothing into the Canada Media Fund to support the creation of Canadian content.

Wait, didn’t Netflix recently agree to invest $500M over five years in Canadian production? Yes, but not specifically in Canadian content production. And this deal—a deal written by Netflix—is less than the foreign service work it already has in development to be shot in Canada. Don’t get me wrong, we welcome and celebrate content production of every kind, but we celebrate Canadian content produced by Canadians just a little bit more.

This is why it’s even more important to get our definition of cultural sovereignty right. Now! NAFTA currently works to protect culture through a broad cultural exemption that allows each country to create rules to support its own cultural voice. While the government has said it supports the current provision, it also supports certain provisions in the TPP, including stronger language supporting the rights of corporations over actual countries. This is unhelpful. Free trade deals must not ignore our sovereignty, our history, our legacy, and our cultural responsibility to future generations. Our cultural agenda must be set by Canadians and must serve all Canadians.

I would be remiss if I did not touch on the important topic of harassment and assault in our industry. At the time of this writing, we are meeting with members across the country, individuals who have bravely stepped forward with disturbing reports of discrimination, harassment and assault. Your union is listening, learning, working with stakeholders and seeking advice from professionals to create stronger processes and policies for the industry and for ACTRA so we can better support survivors of such abuse. On November 23, 2017, ACTRA hosted an industry roundtable convened by CUES, and attended by the leadership and advisors of many groups, including the CMPA (producers), the CBC, TIFF, Equity, DGC, WGC, NABET, IATSE, TAMAC, the Casting Directors Society of Canada, Women in View and many other organizations representing workers and management in the entertainment industry. This first of what will be many meetings allowed a place for gaps to be identifies, ideas to be shared and progress to be reported on. Our initial shared goals are for the industry to stand together against harassment, bullying, abuse and assault of every kind; to develop a speedier, more inclusive process to support survivors; and to continue to move this file forward by ensuring it has industry-wide support and effective teeth to change behaviours, and eliminate the fear and confusion that helped predatory behaviour persist for so long. The work we do must be effective now and into the future. Thanks to all who bravely stepped up to share their experiences.

For half the time there has been a Canada, there has been an ACTRA. To mark our 75-year anniversary, we’re kicking off celebrations with this special edition of ACTRA Magazine, the first of two anniversary issues in 2018, to commemorate the past and the future of our union. Many will remember our 60th anniversary InterACTRA magazine edition—you can read it online at actramagazine.ca (along with other archived issues of ACTRA Magazine and InterACTRA). Please take the time to learn more about your union’s history. Thanks to every ACTRAvist who has supported the work of our union and our industry. We achieve great things when we work together. Now, on to the special 75th anniversary issue. I hope you enjoy the stories told by your fellow members from coast to coast.

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14

Update on the industry-wide effort to combat sexual harassment and assault in the media industry

Dear Members,

Disturbing allegations about producer Harvey Weinstein and many others in the media sector have been dominating the news cycle and social media platforms over the past two months. They have highlighted the need for real change in our industry – and our society as a whole.

Your union has been meeting with members across the country, listening to and learning from their experiences, reviewing our practices and identifying options for change. We recognize sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, and violence have been a reality in our industry. This must change. It is incumbent on all of us to combat it, to create a safe space for victims to speak out without fear of retaliation or harassment and to ensure there are real consequences for perpetrators.

We are committed to ensuring our workplace is safe and respectful for our members and industry partners, and we know there’s much more to do. As part of that effort, we convened a meeting of seventeen stakeholder organizations from across the creative industries to discuss positive steps that will affect real and lasting change.

It became clear that every organization has been confronting similar challenges, meeting with members and working to find solutions. Our industry is galvanized and ready to do what it takes to ensure zero tolerance for sexual harassment, assault and abuse.

Following the November 23 round table, we, as an industry, released a joint statement (which can be read in full here) announcing the first steps we are committed to executing. They include:

Enacting an industry-wide code of conduct, clearly defining expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, enforcement and consequences.
Creating more effective reporting mechanisms and supports, which ensure all individuals can report allegations without fear of judgement or retribution.

Ensuring more effective enforcement of existing industry policies.
Launching a multi-level education and training program, including an industry-wide awareness campaign designed to establish and strengthen a culture of safe workplaces.

We realize there is still much work to do, and we’re committed to doing it. We are already working on these goals, but getting the process right and ensuring it is effective is just as important as doing it quickly. This is just the first of many updates to come to you about our joint steps as an industry to end sexual harassment, assault and abuse in our workplace.

In solidarity,

David Sparrow
President
@davesparrow14