Canadian screen industry to ‘move speedily’ on drafting new code of conduct
TORONTO — Groups representing Canada’s screen and stage talent say they feel a sense of “urgency” in implementing a new collective approach to end sexual harassment, but they also want to get it right.
Representatives from 16 organizations — including the actors’ union ACTRA, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and the Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC) — gathered with a moderator and a few lawyers Thursday in a five-hour, closed-door meeting in Toronto to discuss sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence.
They emerged with an agreement that there should be “zero tolerance for such behaviour” and a recognition “that increasing gender equality and diversity across our industry is an important part of the solution,” according to a statement.
They also committed to four steps, including “enacting an industry-wide code of conduct” that would clearly define expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, enforcement and consequences.