TORONTO – CHUM Television has teamed up with The Dominion Institute to raise awareness of its Passages to Canada educational initiative with a new public service announcement (PSA), announced the company today.
The 30-second spot begins airing today on MuchMusic, SPACE, Star!, Drive-In Classics, SexTV: The Channel and FashionTelevisionChannel, and will follow with flights on CHUM’s local stations across the country in June, in anticipation of Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27th.
Titled "What’s Your Story?" the PSA was produced in-house by CHUM’s creative services department. The spot celebrates cultural diversity by inviting viewers to explore real stories of Canadian immigrants and to share their own experiences via the Passages to Canada website (www.passagestocanada.com). Profiling new Canadians of differing ages, cultural backgrounds and professions, the PSA focuses on how each person combines the cultures of their old and new countries, highlighting their individual uniqueness and contributions to Canadian society.
According to Rudyard Griffiths, executive director of the Dominion Institute, "We are very proud of the PSA as a testament to both the Dominion Institute and CHUM’s mutual commitment to cultural diversity. It is an excellent vehicle to introduce young Canadians to the Passages to Canada program, a unique celebration of the immigrant and refugee experiences.”
The Passages to Canada educational initiative is dedicated to bringing Canada’s story of immigration to life through storytelling. To achieve this goal, the organization created a national Speakers’ Bureau, a group of immigrants and refugees from various walks of life and cultural backgrounds who share their stories of immigration with young people and new Canadians at various events across Canada.
In doing so, the speakers put a human face on diversity, give hope and inspiration, and facilitate dialogue around respect and belonging, says the press release. Notable members of the Speakers’ Bureau include Citytv Toronto’s Dwight Drummond and Sergeant Baltej Dhillon, the first Sikh RCMP officer to wear a turban as part of the official uniform.
"What’s Your Story?" (:30)
Creative Director: Joel Goldberg
Producer / Director: Marco Bresba
Editor: Devon Allistone
DOP: Craig Mullins
Director of Creative Services, CHUM Television: David Johnson
