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ShareNDP Search for cultural credibility in North Vancouver
Posted by Barry Forward - North Shore Outlook - September 18, 2008 1:36PMOn the surface, you have to love the NDP candidate in North Vancouver. Talk about waking up the electorate: find a local actor with some brains and one that has had his brush with fame, then give him a few campaign signs and make sure he delivers a consistent message.
In North Vancouver, that candidate is Michael Charrois. The bio from his portfolio website says it all: (Charrois) is a Vancouver-based professional actor (UBCP/Actra, Equity), street performer, teacher, writer and director, and has been a self-employed working actor since 1986. If you do a "Google search" on Charrois he shows up as the guy who says "They went that'a way!" in the 1992 Academy award winning film Unforgiven.
So let me get this straight, “Wiggens” and the rest of the Clint Eastwood cowboy flick cast are carrying the torch for culture for the NDP. North Vancouver may never have been better represented in a campaign by the New Democrats!
According to Charrois, “Culture is the sixth largest industry in Canada. For every dollar invested there is a ten-fold economic return.” He says Canada’s “New Government” just didn’t get it and they don’t deserve a second chance.
Charrois should know, as he lives and breathes every funding and industry tax break decision the federal government makes by the size of his paycheque.
Charrois estimates there are some 6,000 film industry professionals on the North Shore and he says by supporting this industry the government can deliver to Canadians and North Vancouver high tech, green-collar, labour intensive work; “really good, well-paying jobs.”
He points to legislation like Bill C-10 (the censorship bill) and the latest round of cuts to PromArts and the ability of our embassies to present Canadian artists abroad.
Quite frankly, Michael Charrois does not have even the remotest chance of getting elected in North Vancouver. However, given the opportunity, he might give a voice to Canadian culture in this federal campaign – a campaign that so far, at least here in North Vancouver, hasn’t got the attention of most North Vancouverites. Isn’t Sarah Palin running on the North Shore?
