JUNO Awards: Carly Rae Jepsen and Leonard Cohen Among Winners

Michael Buble is host for the JUNO Awards CTV broadcast on Sunday, April 21. 

The Prairies were humming with music on April 20 as 1,150 Canadian music industry members gathered to toast 35 JUNO Award winners at the 2013 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards. Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi at Regina's Credit Union Eventplex, the evening featured performances by JUNO Award nominees and winners, along with tributes to some of Canada's most influential names in music. 

The celebration started off with a country medley featuring four 2013 JUNO Award nominees: Dean Broday with Colin James, Donny Parenteau and Kira Isabella. The musical Cohen family was well represented, with Leonard Cohen winning Artist of the Year the same night that his son Adam Cohen made his JUNO Awards debut as both a nominee and a performer. The elder Cohen wasn't in Regina to accept his award, but his singer-songwriter son picked up the statuette for his father. 

The Weeknd was a big winner, earning JUNO Awards for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and R&B/Soul Recording of the year. Metric's album SYNTHETICA picked up three awards: Alternative Album of the Year, Jack Richardson Producer of the Year to band member James Shaw and art director Justin Broadbent Recording Package of the Year.  Carly Rae Jepsen won for Pop Album of the Year with Kiss. A special tribute was made to Tom Cochrane as the recipient of the 2013 Alan Waters Humanitarian Award. A complete list of winners may be found online at the JUNO website.

Seven remaining JUNO Award categories will be announced Sunday, April 21 during a broadcast on TV from Brandt Centre in Regina. The show is hosted by Canadian crooner Michael Buble, who has a new CD coming out April 23 titled To Be Loved. Here's the broadcast schedule: 

• Atlantic Canada | 9 PM AT (live)
• ON/QC | 8 PM ET (live
• SK| 6 PM CT
• MB/AB | 8 PM CT/MT
• BC | 8 PM PT

'Rebelle' ('War Witch') big winner at first ever Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto

I finally got around to watching the first ever Canadian Screen Awards that were broadcast on CBC television on March 2, 2013. I wasn't alone. According to the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, more than 2.9 million people tuned in to CBC for the broadcast, which earned an average audience of 756,000 viewers. 

The new awards honor achievement in both Canadian television and film, replacing the Gemini (television) and Genie (film) Awards. 116 awards were handed out to performers, craftspeople and producers in 22 film categories, 89 television categories and five digital media categories during three evenings of awards shows during Canadian Screen Week. 

Hosted by Canadian funny man Martin Short (I rode in an elevator with him at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver a number of years ago), I found it to be entertaining (Andrew Ryan of The Globe and Mail, not so much). Although Short played himself most of the evening, he also did his hilarious Jiminy Glick routine, interviewing such stars as Arlene Dickinson, Alan THicke, Rick Mercer and Catherine O'Hara on the CBC Red Carpet with Canadian comedian and actor Shaun Majumder. Ed Grimley also made a brief appearance.

Short made a grand entrance ala Peter Pan, flying high above the stage to Fly Me Through the Moon. His Scottish bagpipe routine was spot on and when he realized he didn't win any awards (he was nominated for two), he commented about his losses: "My rock bottom is still your wildest dreams." Only Marty could get away with saying that!

Some of my favorite winners were Sarah Polley for Best Documentary (Stories We Tell); Meg Tilly for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Bomb Girls); Best Reality Series to Dragons' Den; and Best Variety Host to George Stroumboulopoulos (now in his 9th season on CBC). Best Dramatic Series went to Flashpoint, while Heartland star Amber Marshall won the inaugural fans' choice award called Canada's Screen Star.  Quebec film Rebelle/War Witch won 10 of its 12 nominations, including Best Motion Picture and Best Achievement in Direction for Kim Nguyen.  

From the Toronto Star: "Canadian Screen Awards nickname the Candys gains traction. Fans of the late comic actor John Candy think he'd make a great namesake for the Canadian Screen Awards."

NHL Lockout Over: 'Hockey Night in Canada' returns for its 60th season on CBC

Hockey memorabilia on display at Winnipeg's MTS Centre. Sue Frause photo.

I'm not one to watch hockey on TV, but did notice while flipping around on my remote on Saturday night that hockey is back! With what seemed to be the never ending NHL lockout, a memorandum of understanding was finally signed and the NHL released its revised 48-game schedule -- it started on January 19, 2013.

Now celebrating its 60th season, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada not only has a new version of its theme song Hockey Tonight (performed by Colin MacDonald of The Trews), it has made some other changes, with both familiar and new faces on the air. 

Scotiabank Hockey Tonight features host Ron MacLean along with hockey insiders and analysts Glenn Healy, P.J. Stock, Kevin, Weekes, Elliotte Friedman and Andi Petrillo. The Coach's Corner features the colorfully entertaining Don Cherry alongside MacLean. And this season, Cherry's views will be more prominent, as he'll be appearing at the end of the first period of the Prime West games. Which means one more look at the outfit that "Grapes" has decided to don for the evening. 

For fans into social networking, Hockey Night in Canada: 2nd Screen includes top content from the social media world, with up to date NHL news and a chance to test your hockey knowledge. And for tweeters, use the hashtag #HockeyNight on Twitter. 

Winnipeg's James Armstrong Richardson's International Airport. Sue Frause photo.

Canadian Screen Awards replace Gemini and Genie Awards, broadcast March 3 on CBC

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced its first Canadian Screen Awards nominees in film, television and digital media. The nominees were announced on Jan. 15, 2013 in a webcast from simultaneous news conferences in Montreal and Toronto.

The new awards honor achievement in both Canadian television and film, replacing the Gemini (television) and Genie (film) Awards. This year's debut Canadian Screen Awards includes nominees in 116 categories (22 film, 89 television, 5 digital media).  One of the nominees, Rebelle / War Witch, has been nominated for an Oscar (Best Foreign Film).

Canadian Screen Week, which runs Feb. 26-March 3, culminates in the inaugural two-hour Live Broadcast Gala on Sunday, March 3 on CBC at 8 PM. It will be hosted by actor and comedian Martin Short. As a personal aside, my claim to fame with Mr. Short is riding in an elevator with him at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver a number of years ago. He was just like how he appears on TV and in the movies, funny and friendly!

A Canadian Screen Awards statue has been designed by Endeavour and made in Prince Edward County, Ontario by Wallis Awards. It symbolizes two screens with the public at the core. The specialty manufacturing company is owned and operated by Glen and Susan Wallis, who have worked with the Academy for the past 18 years. The statues are manufactured measure 32.5 centimeters high and weigh 2.5 kilograms. Endeavour has also created a trailer for the Canadian Screen Awards, which was unveiled during the nomination announcement on Wednesday. 

SELECT FILM NOMINEES

Best Motion Picture

• L'Affaire Dumont | Nicole Robert
• Inch'Allah | Luc Dery, Kim McCraw
• Laurence Anyways | Lyse Lafontaine
• Midnight's Children | David Hamilton
• Rebelle / War Witch | Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin
• Still Mine | Tamara Deverell Jody Colero, Avi Federgreen, Michael McGowan

Achievement in Direction

• Michael Dowse | Goon
• Xavier Dolan | Laurence Anyways
• Deepa Mehta | Midnight's Children
• Kim Nguyen | Rebelle / War Witch
• Bernard Emond | Tout Ce Que Tu Possedes / All That You Possess

Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role

• James Cromwell | Still Mine
• Patrick Drolet | Tout Ce Que Tu Possedes / All That You Possess
• Marc-Andre Grondin | L'affaire Dumont
• David Morse | Collaborator
• Melvil Poupaud | Laurence Anyways

Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role

• Evelyne Brochu | Inch'allah
• Genevieve Bujold | Still Mine
• Marilyn Castonguay | L'affaire Dumont
• Suzanne Clement | Laurence Anyways
• Rachel Mwanza | Rebelle / War Witch

SELECT TELEVISION NOMINEES

Best Comedy Program or Series

• Good God (Shaftesury)  Christina Jennings, Ken FInkleman, Scott Garvie, Jan Peter Meyboom
• Kenny Hotz Triumph of the Will (Entertainment One)  Kenny Hotz, James Crouch
• Less Than Kind (Breakthrough Entertainment, Buffalo Gal Pictures) Ira Levy, Marvin Kaye, Phyllis Laing, Mark McKinney, Chris Sheasgreen, Paula Smith, Peter Williamson
• Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays (Rhombus Media Inc.)  Niv Fichman, Sari Friedland, Bob Martin, Don McKellar
• Mr. D (Topsail Productions Ltd., Mr. D S1 Productions Ltd., Mr. D S1 Ontario Productions Ltd.)  Gerry Dee Michael Volpe

Best Dramatic Series

• Arctic Air (Omni Film Productions Limited) Ian Weir, Michael Chechik, Gary Harvey, Gabriela Schonbach
• Bomb Girls (Back Alley Film Productions Ltd., Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Back Alley Films) Janis Lundman, Michael MacLennan, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas
• Continuum (Timely productions Inc.) Simon Barry, Tom Rowe, Patrick Williams 
• Flashpoint (Flashpoint Season IV Productions Inc.) Anne Marie La Traverse, Bill Mustos
• King (Indian Grove Productions Ltd.) Bernard Zukerman, Greg Spottiswood

Top Chef wraps up its season finale with two shows in Vancouver, BC

With Top Chef being in Whistler for its third to last episode last week (and what an odd episode that was!), it's no surprise the cast and crew traveled back down the Sea to Sky Highway to film the last two episodes of the season in nearby Vancouver, BC. Even though it's Top Chef: Texas, this season nine show decided to head north of the 49th Parallel for its final three shows. The top prize? Being named Top Chef plus receiving $125,000 in prize money.

Both of the final two episodes were filmed in January around Vancouver (under unusually sunny, blue skies) at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The episodes highlight local ingredients, some of Vancouver's notable residents chefs, no shortage of "beauty" shots and lots of kitchen drama.

As part of the three-part finale in British Columbia, Rocky Mountaineer's historic Vancouver Station and train will be on tonight's show as the location of the final judges' table segments; next week's season finale winner will also be revealed at the table. Several of Rocky Mountaineer's custom designed rail coaches, which travel between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, were lit up in the background during the filming. The train's Lounge Car was used as the "stew" room for the chefs as they waited ("stewed") for the judges' deliberation. Rocky Mountaineer was also featured in a 2009 episode of The Bachelorette.

Two restaurants in the GLOWBAL COLLECTION were also used as locations in Vancouver. Both Black+Blue and COAST's kitchens were venues for the two Top Chef finalists, where they presented multi-course menus to both guests and the judges. In addition to Top Chef's all-star panel of judges, Canadian chef/restaurateur and Top Chef Canada Mark McEwan was a judge.

Gail Simmons, one of the show's regular judges and a Toronto native, had this to say about being in Vancouver: "I loved shooting our Top Chef finale in Vancouver for so many reasons," said Simmons. "Of course I'm Canadian, so perhaps a bit biased, but I really feel it's a city that possesses every quality a great metropolis should: diverse cultural history, delicious modern and eclectic food made with the very best ingredients, ocean and mountain views at every turn, and the friendliest people I have ever met," she said. "I can't wait to return."

The final two shows of the season air on Bravo USA, Feb. 22 and 29 (finale) at 10PM ET/7PM PT and Food Network Canada, March 5 at 10PM ET/7PM PT and March 12 at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

COAST restaurant in Vancouver, BC
Photo by Sue Frause  

'Top Chef: Texas' three-part finale episode filmed in Whistler, BC

I was surprised when watching Top Chef to see that the next expisode, airing on Bravo USA on Feb. 15 and Food Network Canada on March 5, is set in Whistler. After all, season nine's title is Top Chef: Texas, and featured a record 29 chefs, twice the number of past seasons. After the initial contest, they were narrowed down to 16. I guess they want the chefs to chill out in Whistler after heating things up all over Texas -- but the competition is going to be intense.

It's been a fun food season, with such luminaries as Oscar-wining actress Charlize Theron, comedian Pee-wee Herman and vocalist Patti LaBelle appearing on the show. Returning to the judges' table again were Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons (who hails from Toronto). New this season on the judging team are chefs Emeril Lagasse and Hugh Acheson.

In January of this year, Tourism Whistler welcomed the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary competition series to the resort to film one of the final episodes. The "deal was done" through the efforts of Tourism Whistler, Tourism Vancouver, Tourism British Columbia, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and the Canadian Tourism Commission.

As far as what will be on the Whistler episode, it showcases "unique experiences in the resort as part of the culinary challenges among contestants." Got that? And no doubt the chefs and judges stayed at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, one of the sponsors. The final two episodes are being filmed in Vancouver, and will air Feb. 22 and 29 on Bravo USA and March 5 and 12 on Food Network Canada.

Whistler is a major dining destination in British Columbia, and Araxi one of its many fine restaurants. Photo by Sue Frause.

Home for the holidays: Christmas movies and specials airing on CBC

I look forward to the Christmas movies and specials on TV, and CBC is a big part of that holiday blend. Here are some of the seasonal highlights airing on the Canadian network this December. Click on the link above for all the CBC programming during the holidays.

• Dec. 13 - 22 Minutes: Holiday Special - 8 PM
• Dec. 13 - Gerry Dee: Life After Teaching - 9 PM
• Dec. 14 - Dragons' Den Holiday Special - 8 PM
• Dec. 14 - Season of Song: Canadian Tenors & Friends - 9 PM
• Dec. 15 - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - 8 PM
• Dec. 15 - Stars on Ice 2011 - 9 PM
• Dec. 16 - Polar Express - 8 PM
• Dec. 18 - P&G Family Sunday: I'll Be Home For Christmas - 5 PM
• Dec. 18 - Mickey's Christmas Carol - 7 PM
• Dec. 18 - Frosty Returns - 7:30 PM
• Dec. 18 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - 8 PM
• Dec. 19 - The Santa Clause - 8 PM
• Dec. 20 - The Santa Clause 2 - 8 PM
• Dec. 21 - The Santa Clause 3 - 8 PM
• Dec. 22 - A Christmas Story - 8 PM
• Dec. 23 - Nativity - 8 PM
• Dec. 23 - George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight: Holiday Special - 11:05 PM
• Dec. 24 - Kids' CBC Holiday Morning - 6 AM
• Dec. 24 - The Cat in the Hat | Snow Man's Land - 8 AM
• Dec. 24 - Super WHY! Twas the Night Before Christmas - 8:30 AM
• Dec. 24 - The Doodlebops: A Happy Doodle Christmas - 9 AM
• Dec. 24 - Leon in Wintertime - 12 Noon
• Dec. 24 - Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe - 6:30 PM
• Dec. 24 - Season of Song: Canadian Tenors & Friends - 7 PM
• Dec. 24 - Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - 8 PM
• Dec. 24 - Scrooge - 10 PM
• Dec. 25 - Handel's Messiah - 12 Midnight
• Dec. 25 - The Queen's Christmas Message - 12 Noon
• Dec. 25 - Disney Parade - 12:05 PM
• Dec. 25 - Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - 2:25 PM
• Dec. 25 - Lassie - 4:50 PM
• Dec. 25 - Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - 6:30 PM
• Dec. 25 - The Queen's Christmas Message - 8 PM
• Dec. 25 - A Heartland Christmas - 8:30 PM
• Dec. 26 - Anne Murray: Friends and Legends - 9 PM
• Dec. 27 - Happy Feet - 8 PM
• Dec. 28 - Dragons' Den: Holiday Special - 8 PM
• Dec. 29 - Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie - 8 PM
• Dec. 30 - The Mansbridge Conversations: 2011 - 9 PM
• Dec. 31 - Scotiabank Hockey Tonight - 6:30 PM

Rockefeller Center in New York City - December 2008

Photo by Sue Frause

Michael J. Fox among 43 recipients of Order of Canada

Actor and philanthropist Michael J. Fox, who was born in Edmonton and grew up in Burnaby, BC, is one of 43 recipients awarded the Order of Canada on May 27, 2011 in Ottawa. Presided over by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, the honors were bestowed on 29 Members and 14 Officers at the Order of Canada investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall. Here is the official description of Michael J. Fox, who has homes in both Vancouver and New York:

Michael J. Fox, Officer of the Order of Canada - Michael J. Fox is an outspoken advocate for people living with Parkinson’s disease, as well as a respected and accomplished screen actor. He is best known for his work in the television series "Family Ties" and "Spin City," and for the "Back to the Future" film trilogy. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early 1990s, he has focused his creative energies on funding medical research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. He continues to raise funds for the development of better treatments for patients. The Canadian branch of his foundation recently gained charitable status, ensuring the financial support of Canadian medical researchers working towards the ultimate goal of finding a cure.

The Order of Canada was created during Canada's centennial year in 1967. It recognizes "a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation." Since its inception, more than 5,000 people from all sectors of society across Canada have been invested into the Order.

Click here to see a video of Michael J. Fox's response via CTV and a complete list of the 43 recipients.

Michael J. Fox
Photo courtesy CTV

CBC celebrates David Suzuki's 'The Nature of Things' 50th year

Hard to believe that CBC's The Nature of Things is 50 years old. Not to mention that its host David Suzuki is 75. On March 24 2011, CBC is airing a special to mark both occasions. Here is his official bio:

David Suzuki, Co-Founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. He is renowned for his radio and television programs that explain the complexities of the natural sciences in a compelling, easily understood way.

Dr. Suzuki is a geneticist. He graduated from Amherst College (Massachusetts) in 1958 with an Honours BA in Biology, followed by a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961. He held a research associateship in the Biology Division of Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Lab (1961–62), was an Assistant Professor in Genetics at the University of Alberta (1962–63)and since then has been a faculty member of the University of British Columbia. He is now Professor Emeritus at UBC.

In 1972, he was awarded the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship for the outstanding research scientist in Canada under the age of 35 and held it for three years. He has won numerous academic awards and holds 25 honourary degrees in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada and is a Companion of the Order of Canada. Dr. Suzuki has written 52 books, including 19 for children. His 1976 textbook An Introduction to Genetic Analysis (with A.J.F. Griffiths), remains the most widely used genetics text book in the U.S. and has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Greek, Indonesian, Arabic, French and German.

Dr. Suzuki has received consistently high acclaim for his thirty years of award-winning work in broadcasting. In 1974 he developed and hosted the long running popular science program Quirks and Quarks on CBC Radio for four years. He has since presented two influential documentary CBC radio series on the environment, It's a Matter of Survival and From Naked Ape to Superspecies. His national television career began with CBC in 1971 when he wrote and hosted Suzuki on Science. He was host of Science Magazine (1974–79) then created and hosted a number of television specials, and in 1979 became the host of the award-winning series, The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. He has won four Gemini Awards as best host of different Canadian television series. His eight-part television series, A Planet for the Taking, won an award from the United Nations. His eight-part BBC/PBS series, The Secret of Life, was praised internationally, as was his five-part series The Brain for the Discovery Channel. On June 10, 2002 he received the John Drainie Award for broadcasting excellence.

Dr. Suzuki is also recognized as a world leader in sustainable ecology. He is the recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for Science, the United Nations Environment Program Medal, UNEPs Global 500 and in 2009 won the Right Livelihood Award that is considered the alternate Nobel.

Breakfast Television Calgary: Brett Wilson on leaving CBC

Here's an interview that aired on Breakfast Television Calgary following the CBC's announcement that Brett Wilson was OUT! from the popular Dragons' Den show.

Brett tweeted a link to the interview on Twitter, saying that it was a "great interview" and "a good overview of my departure from CBC and Dragons' Den."

I've never seen Breakfast Television Calgary, nor am I familiar with co-host Tara Slone, who conducted the interview. Tara is an actress and singer, born in Montreal and raised in Quebec. She was the lead singer of Joydrop, starred in La Femme Nikita and The Border and was co-host with Chris Van Vliet of Toronto's Inside Jam on SUN TV.

How'd I miss this video? 'Canadian, Please' is cool and clever

My Canadian friends give me a bad time about knowing so much about Canada. I can't help it, I like your country a lot. Yes, I used to watch CBC's Life & Times, and miss it dearly; I just put Slings & Arrows in my Netflix queue; and I realize that the lines for Tim Horton's are longer than Starbucks when you're at a Canadian airport. You guys are loyal, even though Tim and his Timbits have snuck south of the 49th Parallel.

I watched Pierre Trudeau's funeral on the CBC; hung out at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler; and am a big fan of The Dragons' Den. Which leads me to the question: Why the heck did CBC get rid of Saskatchewan's Brett Wilson? He was the best of the bunch.

I've sat in a Vancouver sauna with CBC's Gloria Macarenko; chatted with Ian Hanomansing after a Vancouver Art Gallery fundraiser; crossed Canada from east to west on VIA Rail Canada from Halifax to Vancouver; and cheered when Sidney Crosby's game winning goal gave the Canadians the gold over the US at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Sorry, USA, but hockey is Canada's sport. And of course I have Canadian Facebook friends and follow Canadians tweets on Twitter. You Canadians are super social.

But now, it's time to read about BC's new Premier Christy Clark in The Province. After all, I'm in Canada, at the shiny new Sparkling Hill Resort in Vernon, BC. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning, eh?

Song and video produced by Julia Bentley and Andrew Gunadie

'Human Target' filmed in Vancouver: Mystery of new hotel solved!

The mystery has been solved! On January 14, 2011 I posted a blog entry with the title, Where in the world is The Lamont Hotel? Vancouver!

I spotted the sign on The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver while staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim just a few blocks away. One commenter on my blog post thought it might be in honor of Wendy La Mont, Director of Revenue Management for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. That didn't seem likely.

A more recent blog comment sounded like it could be the solution to the mystery: "I think the sign was there for the season finale of a show called Human Target which is fictionally in San Francisco but filmed in Vancouver."

Google to the rescue! Yes, it turns out that the FOX TV show Human Target is filmed in Vancouver. The show stars Mark Valley, Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley and recently had its season finale. No word yet if it's being renewed for a third season, but after getting sucked into watching one of the episodes, I hope it does!


Photos of The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver by Sue Frause

Canada's 'Incendies' nominated for Best Foreign Language Film

Canadian film director Denis Villeneuve must be one happy guy this morning. His latest film, Incendies, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The Quebecer, who directed Polytechnique and Maelstrom, was honored by the Toronto Film Critics with its Best Canadian Film award for 2010. It was also included in the Toronto International Film Festival's Canada's Top Ten. Here's what Teri Hart of the TIFF panel had to say about the film:

Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s award winning play shows the horror of civil war and the desperation of a mother to have her children understand the past so they can have a future. Grounded by a remarkable lead performance by Lubna Azabal, Villeneuve skillfully moves between the present day search for truth and the history that brought us to this point. Incendies proves that Villeneuve is one of this country’s most compassionate filmmakers.

The film is up against four other movies: Outside the Law, Algeria; In a Better World, Denmark; Dogtooth, Greece; and Biutiful from Mexico.

The last time Canada took home an Oscar was in 2003 for Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions. In 2006, Deepa Metha was nominated for Water.

The film is in French and Arabic, with English subtitles. Watch the trailer here with subtitles.

The 83rd Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway will co-host the annual awards show, which will be broadcast on ABC.

Where in the world is The Lamont Hotel? Hint: Vancouver, BC

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver? Photo by Sue Frause.

I did a double take when I spied this sign on The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The Lamont Hotel? My first thought was that maybe a TV or movie was filming there, renamed The Lamont Hotel.

When I Googled it, turns out that there was a situation comedy on TV for six months in 2003-2004 called Whoopi. Not surprisingly, it starred Whoopi Goldberg, the owner of a small hotel called The Lamont in New York City.

I should have inquired about the mysterious sign at the front desk of The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. If anybody has an explanation, do tell!

Canada gets healthy with CBC's 'Live Right Now' campaign

Leave it to our neighbors to the north to try and get healthy as a country. And heading up the challenge is the CBC. Here's how they explain it on their website:

"Live Right Now is a national initiative designed to inspire Canadians to join together and change the health of this country. The idea is built around the small steps everyone can take in their life to improve their health."

The national campaign ties in with this recent CBC News Poll: Canadians not as healthy as they think.

Numerous sponsors and advisory partners have joined CBC, hoping that Canadians will take the challenge. Pledge weight loss. Eat nutritious foods. Work out. Help Canada get healthy!

There's even a BC community that's going on a diet. The people of Taylor are featured in their very own CBC-TV series, Village on a Diet. They're hoping to lose one ton in 10 weeks. Tune in and watch them try to achieve their personal and community goals. An encore presentation of the series that made its debut this week will be presented on Thursday, Jan. 6 at 8 PM.

So where is Taylor, BC? I'd never heard of it, but it's located in northeastern British Columbia, in the Peace River Valley. Known as the Industrial Capital of the North, it's on Mile 36 of the Alaska Highway. Originally called Taylor Flats, today it's the District of Taylor, "where peace and prosperity meet." And hopefully, the pounds disappear!

Lund's Organic Farm in Innisfail, Alberta
Photo by Sue Frause

CBC's 'Steven and Chris' goes stateside with talk show

In addition to Dragons' Den, one of my favorite CBC shows is Steven and Chris.

Just when I'm need of an afternoon break, there's the dynamic duo, whether learning how to play guitar with Steven Page or making crafty items with TV host/design blogger Karen Bertelsen.

Hosts Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman, formerly of HGTV's Designer Guys, are also a couple in real life. And according to tvguide.ca, their show is now also being broadcast in the US.

TVNewsCheck.com said the show made its debut south of the 49th Parallel in September of this year, and was picked up by Cox Media, Hearst, LIN and Newport stations. I don't think it's yet playing in the Seattle market, but no worries.

CBC's fine by me.

Will Saskatoon Berries be the next big berry?

I discovered Saskatoon Berries when I visited Sakatchewan for the first time in 2004. Not only did I enjoy Saskatoon Berry Pie, I imbied in a little Saskatoon Berry Wine. Yum!

Last year, while on my cross-country train adventure on VIA Rail Canada, I met a lovely couple from the prairies who sent me a jar of Saskatoon Berry Jam after I returned home.

So it was fun to see Sandra Purdy of Prairie Berries in Keeler, Saskatchewan make a presentation with her niece on Dragons' Den recently. You can watch the segment on YouTube.

Sandra auditioned for a spot in March of 2010, and the next month she flew to Toronto to appear on the popular CBC show.

Saskatchewan berry products
Photo by Sue Frause

Christopher Plummer stars in 'The Tempest' at Stratford Shakespeare Festival

How did I miss that actor Christopher Plummer was Canadian?

That's why I'm a fan of George Stroumboulopoulos and CBC' The Hour (click on to watch the episode with George interviewing Plummer). Every night I learn a little bit more about O Canada.

Born in Toronto in 1929, Plummer attended Jennings Private School in Montreal. And his great-grandfather was Sir John Abbott, the mayor of Montreal who went on to become the Prime Minister of Canada. Of course we all know Plummer from his role as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music; but his resume is much more loaded than that.

Plummer's latest artistic foray is playing Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, which runs June 11-September 12, 2010.

Here's a fun piece in The New Yorker about Christopher Plummer and the Algonguin Hotel in New York, where he lived in the 1950s.

The Tempest with Christopher Plummer opens June 25, 2010 at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Who in the world is Justin Bieber? His Twitter followers know

Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images

Who in the world is Justin Bieber? That's what my hubby asked the other night as his name was mentioned by host Ryan Seacrest on American Idol.

I sort of knew that he was a teen pop star, but had no idea he was a Canadian! Here's part of the 15-year-old's bio on Justin Bieber-The Official Website:

“I started singing about three years ago,” says the Canadian native who grew up an only child in Stratford, Ontario. “I entered a local singing competition called Stratford Idol. The other people in the competition had been taking singing lessons and had vocal coaches. I wasn’t taking it too seriously at the time, I would just sing around the house. I was only 12 and I got second place.”

In an effort to share his victory with his loved ones, Justin began posting his performance footage online. “I put my singing videos from the competition on YouTube so that my friends and family could watch them,” he says. “But it turned out that other people liked them and they started subscribing to them. That’s how my manager found me. He saw me on YouTube and contacted my family and now I’m signed!"

OK, I probably won't be buying or listening to his music, but I'll probably see him on Oprah at some point. In the meantime, he's creating a lot of buzz, whether on Twitter (he has a mere 1,269,091 followers) or as a trending news topic. Ontario must be proud!

Although I don't have a million followers (only 2,800), I am on Twitter. You can follow my travel and other adventures here!

Corner Gas: TV show's last season on TV, finale in 2009

Last Chance for Gas!

Corner Gas creator and star Brent Butt announced that the Prairie Pants Productions' series will come to an end following the conclusion of its upcoming sixth season. Production on the final 19 new episodes, to be broadcast in 2008-2009 in Canada on CTV and The Comedy Network, begins May 15 in Regina and Rouleau, Saskatchewan. The series’ finale will air sometime in the spring of 2009.
But just because the show is over doesn't mean all is lost. CnT Conventions and Tours of Regina offers guided tours of the Corner Gas sets in Regina and Rouleau from May 25 to September 14. With the series ending this season, 2008 is your last chance to take a unique look at a piece of Canadian television history.