Actors group demands more Canadian drama on TV

The organization representing Canadian actors has called on the country's private broadcasters to invest more in homegrown television dramas.

"Canadian TV drama is still disappearing while our private broadcasters are spending at an all-time high on American programming," actor Howard Storey, the president of the British Columbia chapter of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, said in a news release.

ACTRA issued their challenge to private broadcasters during the annual Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention in Vancouver on Monday.

Gabrielle Miller, who plays diner proprietress Lacey Burrows on Corner Gas, said her show's success proves it is possible to appeal to Canadians with Canadian content.

"The support and commitment that this television series continues to receive has been critical and we need to build on this success by increased funding and scheduling support for more Canadian dramatic programming," she said.

"We're focusing on more reality television, when what we need is new rules to protect our Canadian cultural sovereignty and to get more homegrown dramas on our televisions."

ACTRA has already made a submission to the federal communications watchdog, theCRTC, calling for private broadcasters to spend at least seven per cent of advertising revenues on Canadian English-language dramas and schedule at least two more hours in prime time between Sunday and Thursday.

Appeal made amid stalled labour talks

The organization's stand comes at an awkward time, as it is currently embroiled in a protracted labour dispute with the Canadian Film & Television Production Association and its Quebec equivalent.

Talks on a new Independent Production Agreement broke down after producers called for pay cuts of 10 to 25 per cent on film and TV productions shot in Canada.

ACTRA responded by calling on the producers to withdraw the demands before they would return to the bargaining table.

The producers association shot back by filing an 110-page complaint to the Ontario Labour Board accusing ACTRA of unfair labour practices.

Both sides in the acrimonious disputeare already blaming the other in the event of a work stoppage, which would occur if an agreement isn't reached when the current labourpact ends on Dec. 31, 2006.

Separate mediators have been appointed for both Quebec and Ontario and sidebar discussions geared to getting the sides talking again have been planned for Nov. 14.