Statement by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on the Occasion of the 2011 ACTRA Awards in Toronto

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 26, 2011) - The Canadian audiovisual industry is strong and successful because of the thousands of enterprising people who work in it. Telling our unique and diverse stories, Canadian film and television productions do an outstanding job of showcasing our culture at home and abroad.

Much of this success depends on the dedication of professional actors from Toronto. For the ninth consecutive year, ACTRA Toronto presented three Outstanding Performance awards. In addition, ACTRA Toronto's 2011 Award of Excellence was presented to Fiona Reid in honour of her outstanding body of work.

Our Government understands the importance of creativity and innovation, and we are pleased to invest in an industry that strengthens our shared sense of Canadian identity and contributes significantly to our economy.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, I commend ACTRA Toronto on its efforts to promote and celebrate artistic excellence. I heartily congratulate Fiona Reid, as well as Sean Cullen (Outstanding Voice Performance), Molly Parker and the late Tracy Wright (Outstanding Female Performance), and the late Maury Chaykin (Outstanding Male Performance).