Code of Conduct

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television recognizes the right of every individual to safety, dignity, and respect and is committed to helping ensure that all members of the screen-based industries experience a professional environment that is free of violence, harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

With the generous support of New Metric Media and Nordicity, we have developed a stand-alone Code of Conduct for Canadian Academy members, nominees, jurors, and committee members.

The Canadian Academy is also a signatory to the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct to Prevent and Respond to Harassment, Discrimination, Bullying, and Violence. In addition, we are a part of the working groups who are engaged in the design of tools and strategies that will allow our industry to flourish in a healthy and respectful fashion, and hold perpetrators of harassment accountable. Please click here for the most up-to-date information on the progress of these working groups.

The Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct

The Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct confirms our commitment to safe and respectful workplaces and to an industry free of harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence.

Harassment can take many forms including unwanted sexual attention, inappropriate jokes or texts, threats, and other unwelcome verbal, written, visual or physical communication or conduct.

Everyone has a responsibility to build safe and respectful workplaces.

Harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence can affect individuals at every level of the industry.

Promoting increased gender equality and diversity is one way to break down barriers and reduce or eliminate these behaviours.

The principles espoused in this Code are applicable to all work and work-related environments. These can include but are not limited to, auditions or casting meetings, job interviews, industry events, festivals, awards, company functions, production studios and sets (whether local or remote), offices and rehearsal and performance venues.

Signatories to this Code will lead by example by upholding the highest standards of respect, encouraging the good-faith reporting of complaints concerning harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence and cooperating in the investigation of such complaints.

In adhering to this Code of Conduct, Signatory organizations agree to take the following steps as applicable to identify and address harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence:

∙ Enact policies and procedures that maintain zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence;
∙ Designate people in the workplace to receive complaints of harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence;
∙ Provide a timely process for the investigation and resolution of complaints;
∙ Implement proportional consequences for violations; and
∙ Protect from retaliation or reprisal those individuals who in good faith allege violations of anti-harassment, discrimination and violence policies and procedures.

In implementing the above, Signatories will take the following steps, as applicable:

∙ Ensure everyone in the workplace is aware of anti-harassment, discrimination and violence policies and procedures;
∙ Encourage people to set and respect personal boundaries and engage in consent-based interactions;
∙ When work requires physical contact or scenes of nudity, intimacy or violence, adhere to applicable respectful workplace policies and collective agreement obligations;
∙ Provide safe places where work may be performed for example, by not requiring individuals to attend meetings alone or in spaces such as private hotel rooms, etc.; and
∙ Encourage instructors, teachers, coaches and those providing training in the industry to adhere to this Code and share its principles with their students.

Signatories to this Code of Conduct agree to take all applicable steps to quickly address substantiated complaints of workplace harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination and violence. Such steps may include the following:

∙ Requiring remedial action such as counselling and/or training;
∙ Disciplinary action (as per collective agreements and individual organization, union, guild and workplace policies) including restrictions, suspension or termination of employment and/or membership; or
∙ Legal action as per applicable laws including human rights legislation.

File a complaint:

Any Canadian Academy member in good standing and who has previously submitted a formal complaint to an employer or union (or authorized representative of that member) may choose to provide the Academy with a Notice of Complaint (“Complaint”).

Note: The Academy may also accept a Notice of Complaint from the referring organization directly if the complaint is made aware about an Academy member and/or someone currently nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.

The formal notice should be sent via email to confidential@academy.ca. Please provide the following details:

  1. Your name and contact phone number
  2. Academy membership number
  3. Date, time, and location of the incident
  4. The organization with which the formal complaint was filed (i.e. the “referring organization”)
  5. Date and time of submission of the formal complaint
  6. Name of the respondent
  7. Brief description of the incident

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Within 24 hours of receiving the confidential email, CEO Beth Janson will acknowledge confirmation of the report directly with the individual that has filed it. Within 30 days of receipt, the Committee will convene to meet to first determine if the reported action is in breach of the Code of Conduct. A representative of the Committee will then notify the referring organization that a Complaint has been filed.

The Committee will be responsible for reviewing Complaints and making decisions regarding resolution and disciplinary measures (where applicable). It is the responsibility of the complainant to inform the Academy of the resolution of their complaint with the referring organization. Upon adjudication of the complaint by the referring organization, the Committee will determine what (if any) disciplinary measures to apply. When necessary, these measures will be enforced within 10 days of receiving the report of the investigation results.

All parties involved in a reported incident and/or subsequent investigation and resolution process have the right to a fair and neutral process. As such, any members of the Committee who have a prior relationship with any of the involved parties will be required to recuse themselves from the investigation (and subsequent disciplinary) process.

Where the Academy is made aware of an incident that could be in breach of the Code of Conduct where neither the complainant nor the respondent is a member or employee of an organization with sufficient capacity to undertake an investigation, the Academy will refer the putative complainant to one (or more) of the more general resources described here.

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Code of Conduct Committee (“the Committee”)

*Each member of the Committee has signed an agreement of confidentiality pertaining to all matters of the committee:

Tracey Deer (Chair)

Jennifer Hollyer

Thomas Santram

Beth Janson

Resources

If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, CALL 911. If you wish to pursue a formal complaint through a relevant union or guild, please contact them directly. Below is a list with the contact information for the relevant unions and guilds.

Additional Reporting and Support Resources

If you are involved in an incident or investigation and need support, the following resources are here for you: