Prime Minister Mark Carney is now officially among those talking about the Canadian film and TV shows that have personally impacted him as part of the MADE | NOUS cross-country “Stories That MADE Us” road trip, which launched in Vancouver in July.
Led by veteran broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos, the initiative – largely driven by Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund (CMF) – recently concluded on the opening night of TIFF, setting the stage for a content series launch in October.
Carney sat down with Stroumboulopoulos for a candid conversation about cultural sovereignty and why Canadian stories matter more than ever, joining other well-known Canadians including actor/producer Ryan Reynolds, astronaut Chris Hadfield, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, actress Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek), actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience), actor Jay Baruchel (Goon), actress Tantoo Cardinal (North of 60), Reelworld Screen Institute founder and actress Tonya Williams (The Young and the Restless), filmmaker Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter), musician Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip), and Stanley Cup winner and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart.
Carney told Stroumboulopoulos that the role of government is important, saying it’s vital storytellers have resources.
“The government has a role to play now, but it has to be a neutral role because you want the creativity. You can tell the story – and it’s true – about the economic impact of the creative industries…but what’s more important is telling the stories, weaving together our history,” said Carney.
The concurrent French campaign, led by comedienne Rosalie Vaillancourt, includes interviews with TV host Pierre-Yves Lord, Acadian folk trio Les Hay Babies, author Kim Thúy (Ru, Em), and director Chloé Robichaud (Deux femmes en or)
Mathieu Chantelois of the Canada Media Fund joined Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the MADE | NOUS campaign and why there’s never been a better time to celebrate Canadian storytellers. Listen on your favourite podcast platform or here: