Thank you, Madam Chair, vice-chairs, committee members and staff.
I am Eleanor Noble. I live in Tiohtià:ke, Montreal. I'm a Canadian performer and the national president of ACTRA, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists.
On behalf of ACTRA's 28,000-plus members working in English-language screen productions across Canada, I am pleased to appear today before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to share the artists' perspective as part of the committee study of the arts, culture, heritage and sports sectors' recovery from the impact of COVID-19.
When looking back to the early days of the pandemic and the loss of employment experienced by millions of Canadians, it was Canadian artists and other self-employed workers who were left overnight with no income or social safety net to fall back on. Because many of us self-employed workers are not eligible for employment insurance, this made an already vulnerable group of Canada's labour market even more vulnerable.
ACTRA was grateful that the federal government acknowledged gig workers in the rules for the Canada emergency response benefit and subsequent Canada recovery benefit, as well as the more recent Canada performing arts workers resilience fund. These benefits were a lifeline for Canadians working in the arts or entertainment industries who were temporarily or permanently laid off due to the pandemic and who would have faced even further financial hardship. The Canada emergency wage subsidy was also instrumental in keeping our union operational when our revenue vanished.
Thank you for having the foresight to step in and introduce these programs. While these federal support measures have proven effective in the short term, they demonstrate the need for long-term solutions to fill the gaps exposed by the pandemic.
The changing needs of Canadian workers, as well as the ongoing pandemic, have resulted in a fundamental shift in the use of and need for a modernized employment insurance program that reflects and is inclusive of all Canadian workers. An expanded EI program that addresses the needs of a modern economy would allow self-employed workers to contribute to and collect EI, despite not having a traditional employee-employer relationship as defined under the current system.
We are also awaiting relief for Canadian seniors who have had their guaranteed income supplement withheld. Although financial help was announced in the fall economic statement, affected seniors are still waiting.
During the pandemic, many of our eligible senior members applied for and received emergency benefits. Unbeknownst to them, the unintended consequence of receiving these benefits was the effect it had on their GIS. Despite having paid taxes on the emergency relief payments they received, many seniors have either been cut off from the GIS or had the amount severely reduced as a result. The government must follow through on its commitment to alleviate the financial hardship that low-income seniors are facing. Their GIS must be retroactively reinstated immediately.
After the initial nationwide shutdown in March 2020 due to the pandemic, work on film, television and digital media programs gradually resumed in the second half of the year in various capacities across the country. Our ACTRA branches have continued to work closely with government, industry partners and stakeholders to adjust health and safety protocols to keep our industry safe and open. ACTRA members have also played their part by remaining vigilant in following these guidelines.
It's paid off. Our industry is cautiously optimistic about its current state, and across our union, our branches have reported good levels of production allowing our members to return to work.
However, to keep up the momentum, our industry must be provided with the necessary tools to ensure its long-term success.
In addition to following strong health and safety protocols, a significant contribution to our industry's recovery is the federal government's $149-million short-term compensation fund. The fund addresses the lack of insurance coverage we required to restart our industry by compensating independent production companies for interruptions or shutdowns due to the pandemic. With the fund set to expire at the end of March 2022, ACTRA hopes to see it further extended for as long as necessary to keep our industry open, or until a permanent alternative solution is implemented.
Another action the federal government can take to ensure the long-term viability of our industry is the swift passage of Bill C-11, the online streaming act. This legislation will go a long way in securing the success of our domestic production industry. With the tabling of this bill last week, I was pleased to see the federal government recognize the importance of investing in and promoting Canadian content, but action must be taken to pass this legislation as soon as possible to support Canadian programming.
ACTRA has been calling for modernizing the Broadcasting Act for over a decade.
Thank you.