Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of 28,000 members of ACTRA, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists.
For 80 years, ACTRA has been representing professional performers across Canada who bring Canadian stories to life. We play a vital role in a nearly $14-billion industry that generates a quarter of a million jobs a year, but we have a major problem in Canada. We do not have enough Canadian production in this country because it's not financially supported.
When U.S. studio production comes to a halt here as a result of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA going on strike, we unnecessarily suffer the consequences. We need to be more than just a service industry to the U.S. We need ongoing Canadian production created by Canadians, so that we may continue to create a viable, sustainable and remarkable Canadian film and television industry here, one that is not solely dependent on foreign investment for success but rather provides real incentive for Canadian creatives to stay.
In addition, ACTRA has been shamefully locked out of commercial work for the last 541 days by union-busting advertising agencies that represent some of the wealthiest brands in Canada—Rogers, Wendy's and Canadian Tire, to name a few. These corporate giants boast record profits while refusing to pay minimum rates to ACTRA performers who helped build those brands, and with the introduction of commercial advertising on paid streaming services such Netflix and Disney+, the fight for ACTRA to protect our jurisdiction is at a critical juncture.
Even Canada Post, a Crown corporation, is producing non-union commercials, and my complaint to Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has gone unanswered. We have demanded that the federal procurement policy be revised to forbid the use of scab labour, directly or indirectly, and we have the full support of the Canadian Labour Congress. In June, the federal government selects its next agency of record. Please ensure it is an agency that, like its current one, is not using replacement workers. In our written submission, we've proposed simple solutions to address these issues.
I would now like to hand things over to ACTRA's lead negotiator and national executive director, Marie Kelly.