Donate now to help Pakistan

August 25 - The Canadian Labour Congress is partnering with the Canadian Red Cross to assist in providing relief and aid to the victims of the Pakistan Floods. Your transaction will be securely processed by IATS/Ticketmaster, followed by an email notification to be sent to the email address that you provide. To make a donation please click here:    -donate-

Budget 2011: Have your say!

July 21, 2010 - The next federal budget may be many months away, but the Finance Committee is already seeking Canadians' input and we need to make sure arts and culture issues are top of MPs' minds! Make sure your voice is heard before August 13th.    -more-

The Long-Form Census Controversy and the Arts

July 21, 2010 - ACTRA has sent a letter to Industry Minister Tony Clement asking him to abandon plans to scrap the compulsory long-form census. In order to improve working conditions, increase employment opportunities and advocate for public policies that benefit our members, we rely upon sound data on Canada's arts and cultural industries.    -more-

Tri-Union I AM PWD Campaign Goes Global

July 21, 2010 - Actors' Equity Association, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild today announced that the International Federation of Actors, also known as FIA (Fédération Internationale des Acteurs), has endorsed the unions' global I AM PWD campaign.    -more-

JAY BARUCHEL TO RECEIVE ACTRA MONTREAL'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
The ACTRA Awards in Montreal: Saturday, September 11, 2010

July 15, 2010 - ACTRA Montreal is pleased to announce that Jay Baruchel is the 2010 recipient of ACTRA Montreal's Award of Excellence. The annual awards ceremony will take place in Montreal on September 11, 2010 at Place des Arts. Previous Award of Excellence winners include William Shatner, Vlasta Vrana, Walter Massey and Ranee Lee.    -more-

PERFORMERS PROTEST BROADCASTERS' L.A. SPENDING SPREE
"Stop shipping our jobs south"

June 1, 2010 - As Canadian private TV broadcasters unveil their fall schedules this week, performers rallied in Toronto today to demand more Canada on Canadian TV.    -more-

IF ONLY MINISTER CLEMENT SUPPORTED THE PRIVATE COPYING LEVY - Levy easy solution to his 'illegal iPod'

May 27, 2010 - Performers have a simple solution to Minister Clement's 'illegal' music collection - he can extend the private copying levy to MP3 players such as the iPod in the new copyright bill. The Minister confessed to the media yesterday that he has filled his iPod by copying CDs and sharing music with his family, activities which are illegal under Canada's antiquated copyright laws.   -more-

ACTRA mourns passing of ACTRA National Councillor Wayne Nicklas

May 27, 2010 - Wayne Nicklas, ACTRA National Councillor from Manitoba, passed away on Tuesday, May 25 after a brave struggle with cancer. Wayne served for 16 years on ACTRA's National Council, multiple terms on the National Executive and was ACTRA's Vice President from 2004-2006. "We cannot count the ways he will be missed - our talented and wise and very funny man - who always served the members with integrity and passion," said ACTRA President Ferne Downey.

Winnipeg Free Press Obituary

U.S. SPENDING BY CANADIAN BROADCASTERS SOARS TO RECORD HIGH - Habitual cross-border spending ignores Canadian economy & artists

May 21, 2010 - The CRTC just reported another record-breaking year for foreign program spending by Canadian broadcasters, and a 3.3% spending decrease on Canadian programs. Figures show that despite declining revenues, private broadcasters spent a record amount on U.S. and foreign shows in 2009 - 59% of all their programming expenses or $846.3 million.   -more-

CREATORS PUSH FOR COPYRIGHT REFORM

May 6, 2010 - Canadian creators are urging the government to adopt copyright laws that support arts and culture in Canada. The Creators Copyright Coalition (CCC) is an alliance of 15 professional associations of individual creators and performers and copyright collective societies.   -more-

Poll shows wide opposition to foreign ownership of Canadian media

April 19, 2010 - Most Canadians (68%) believe broadcasting and communications are too important to our national security and cultural sovereignty to allow foreign control of Canadian companies in these sectors, according to a new Harris/Decima survey conducted by telephone from March 31st to April 12th, 2010   -more-

PERFORMERS AND MUSICIANS CHEER VOTE ON PRIVATE COPYING
Parliament supports artists; Conservatives don't

April 15, 2010 - AFM Canada, the Canadian representatives of the American Federation of Musicians, and ACTRA are cheering Parliament's approval of a motion calling for the extension of the private copying levy to digital music recorders. Conservatives stood alone in refusing to support artists as Liberal, Bloc and NDP MPs united behind Bloc MP Carole Lavallée's motion.   -more-

Harper failed to consider Canadian culture in Globalive decision

April 1, 2010 - A coalition of leading cultural organizations announced this morning they are seeking intervenor status in an application to the Federal Court for judicial review of the federal government's decision to licence wireless telecom Globalive.   -more-

CRTC BLOWS IT:
New TV Policy won't help Canadian drama

March 22, 2010 - The CRTC has blown its chance to put Canada back in prime time; instead it has given broadcasters a free pass. While ACTRA welcomes the return of Canadian spending requirements on conventional broadcasters, the new policy represents a 'status quo' on spending and a reduced commitment to overall Canadian programming. Most concerning is the lack of any requirements to air Canadian drama.   -more-

NEW NUMBERS PROVE BROADCASTERS NEED MORE RULES
Performers anxiously await CRTC's new Television Policy on March 22

March 18, 2010 - On the eve of new rules for Canadian broadcasting, figures released today prove the regulator needs to take steps to ensure that Canadians can see our own stories. The CRTC is set to release a new television policy this Monday, March 22 and performers are hopeful that the regulator will focus on getting more Canadian programming in primetime.   -more-

ACTRA, AFM CANADA URGE MPS TO SUPPORT PRIVATE COPYING BILL
"Bill C-499 brings fairness for artists, legal certainty for music fans"

March 16, 2010 - Canadian performers are urging all MPs to support a private member's bill which would expand the current private copying levy to ensure musicians are fairly paid for their work.   -more-

GOVERNMENT IGNORES FILM, TV & DIGITAL MEDIA JOBS
Budget fails to build key "Jobs of the Future"

March 3, 2010 - Toronto - Despite claiming to build "Jobs of the Future," the Harper Conservatives' budget ignores the economic potential of Canada's film, TV and digital media industry and in fact proposes selling Canadian jobs to foreign conglomerates.   -more-

SOME GOOD NEWS / MORE BAD NEWS IN THRONE SPEECH
Increased foreign ownership threatens Canadian culture and future of Canadian broadcasting

March 3, 2010 - Today's Speech from the Throne could have a major impact on Canadian arts and culture industry. Canadian performers applaud digital economy strategy but condemn foreign ownership threat.   -more-

ACTRA celebrates Shirley Douglas on International Women's Day

March 3, 2010 - The National ACTRA Women's Committee celebrates Shirley Douglas in our spotlight for International Women's Day. "Shirley is a role model and an inspiration to women performers across the country," said Christine Willes, Chair of the ACTRA National Women's Committee.   -more-

MAKING CANADIAN FILMS AMERICAN NOT THE PATH TO SUCCESS
We have to get over this national inferiority complex

February 22, 2010 - Canadian stars are incensed to hear that once again, Telefilm Canada is considering using taxpayer's money to buy Hollywood talent. In a weekend CBC News report, Telefilm Chair Michel Roy said he is urging Heritage Canada to change the rules to allow more U.S. actors to take leading roles in government-supported feature films.   -more-

ACTRA speaks at Digital Economy roundtable

February 12, 2010 - ACTRA's National Executive Director Stephen Waddell presented ACTRA's views on "Copyright, Intellectual Property Protection and the Future of Broadcasting in the Internet Age" at the Liberal Caucus's roundtable in Ottawa on February 11.   Read the presentation here

ACTRA ELECTS NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

February 8, 2010 - ACTRA's National Council has elected a new National Executive and Treasurer to join National President Ferne Downey and Vice President Tyrone Benskin to form ACTRA's elected leadership. The new team includes a mix of experience and new energy from across the country.   -more-

PERFORMERS CALL ON CRTC TO PUT MORE CANADA IN PRIME TIME
"Don't let the broadcasters' and cables' slap-fest hijack the agenda"

November 25, 2009 - Canadian performers appeared before the CRTC today to urge the regulator to focus on getting more Canadian programming in prime time as the regulator re-writes its TV policy. TV stars Wendy Crewson, Nicholas Campbell and ACTRA National President Ferne Downey called on the CRTC to make broadcasters meet their obligations under the Broadcasting Act by forcing them to invest more in Canadian drama and give it a place in their primetime schedules.    -more-

HERITAGE MINISTER MUST STAND UP FOR CANADIAN TV

November 19, 2009 - Canadian performers are urging Heritage Minister James Moore to stand up for Canadian TV, after the government hinted it's set to overrule upcoming CRTC decisions. "If the Heritage Minister is prepared to start telling the CRTC what to do, then we hope he'll stand up for the right of Canadians to access Canadian content on our airwaves and make sure we aren't being fleeced by big cable," said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President.    -more-

Sure, 'local TV matters,' but so does Canadian programming
By ROBB WELLS
Content seems to get lost in the fight between broadcasters and cable firms

October 17, 2009 - Ever wonder why we have Canadian cable companies and Canadian broadcasters, if all they air is American programming and still charge us a fortune? Couldn't we just cut out the middle-man and pay NBC directly for their TV shows? OK, I'm being facetious. But with cable bills on the rise, broadcasters threatening to close local stations and less Canadian programming on TV, lots of Canadians are asking themselves these questions.   -more-