Mr. Speaker, the Gemini Awards were held on Friday, November 4. These high profile awards celebrate excellence in English language television in 87 award categories.
In 1979 the Canadian film and television industry created the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. The association's mandate is to honour outstanding achievements, heighten public awareness, increase audience attendance and appreciation of Canadian film and television, and provide critically needed high quality professional development programs, conferences and publications.
Many of the Gemini nominees have received federal support through the Canadian Television Fund and/or the Canadian film or video production tax credit. Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Television Fund are major corporate sponsors of the Gemini Awards.
This was the first time the award program was staged outside of Toronto and what a success it was. Congratulations to the western organizers. They did all us westerners proud.