Mélanie Joly, Min. of Canadian Heritage, has announced she’ll lead Canada’s first creative industries trade mission to China

Mélanie Joly, Min. of Canadian Heritage, has announced she’ll lead Canada’s first creative industries trade mission to China in April 2018. The mission will support greater commercial ties and opportunities for Canadian companies in the creative industries to export and engage with the Chinese market in the film and audiovisual (including animation and visual effects); video games and virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR); digital content for public creative spaces and museums; and performing arts sectors. Joly also announced the release of A Snapshot of China’s Creative Industries, a market study commissioned by the Department of Canadian Heritage, in partnership with the Trade Commissioner Service of Canada, highlighting opportunities for Canadian artistic and cultural content in China.

In the meantime, Mélanie Joly will participate in what’s billed as a “fireside chat about Creative Canada” at Toronto’s Empire Club on Oct. 12. The moderated discussion is set to start at 12:15 p.m. ET with a media availability to follow.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) held its annual Night for Rights gala in Toronto on Oct. 5, which also celebrated its 15th year of training journalists to report on human rights issues at home and abroad. Hosted by the CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault and Ian Hanomansing, the evening’s keynote speaker was Canadian Senator and Rt. Lt-Gen. Roméo Dallaire.  

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) and Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) have opened applications for the second Aboriginal Investigative Journalism Fellowship. Any journalist of First Nations, Inuit or Métis background able to work in Canada and with a minimum of three years’ professional experience is invited to apply. The fellowship provides a 12-week, paid placement with the APTN Investigates team, based in Winnipeg, with the goal is to have the recipient produce a full-length piece of original, investigative journalism that would air on the program. More info is available on the CAJ website. 

Six Northern Ontario communities will receive $4.03 million under the federal government’s Connect to Innovate fund. Bell will build new fibre optic backbone in the communities of Stratton, Minahico, Madsen, the Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, the Anishinaabeg of Naongashiing, and Kejick (Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation). In addition to the federal funding, Bell is investing $1.3 million. The news follows $69 million announced last week aimed at improving internet access in the Ring of Fire region. Regional telecom Rapid Lynx, established by the Matawa First Nations, will install 880 kilometres of new fibre optic cable to five fly-in communities in Northern Ontario.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development has announced the launch of a consultation on potential spectrum releases over the next five years. A news release says the federal government “is looking to hear from Canadian businesses, organizations and individuals about how it can best use the airwaves over the next five years to make cell phone service more affordable for Canadians.”