Anyone notice that we’re angering the biggest nuclear power in the world?

Although there is little threat of violent consequence resulting from our never-ending roadhousing and strike-skirting, the Canadian attitude towards the sag/aftra strike is starting to take a little of the shine off Hollywood’s stars and stripes. No longer are we just that laughable producer of great comedians and cold winters. Now, we’re the new red menace with our guillotines poised to slice the head off of America’s shiniest jewel of all, Hollywood.

‘Gloating’ is the most common descriptor attached to our Canadian producers by the struggling American industry. It is not just those hard-to-contain smiles, knowing nods and ‘nationalistic’ tones we expressed last month as our roadhousing hit the spotlight. American producers are also angry at the frequent insinuations (in publications including this one) that our thriving production scene has something to do with our great crews and beautiful locations, not just the low dollar. According to them, the reasons are purely economic – nothing more, nothing less. This gloating, say producers down south, will most surely result in a ‘backlash’ that will have us sweating in our igloos.

One producer expresses his anger: ‘We had assistant camera people on this job [we shot in Toronto], who didn’t even know what camera left and camera right was. That’s not funny. It’s pathetic. We have people who apprentice for years for that who are losing their houses, losing their health benefits. It’s not good.’

Unfortunately, the backlash against Canada is not only affecting spot-makers. Producers of documentaries, news and lifestyle television are also suffering from the amplified tensions the commercial strike is causing. The u.s. is not allowing any ‘non-essential’ production personnel to cross the border.

One producer pointed out that, ironically, her border hassle – in which u.s. customs kept her cameraman out of the country – put an entire Texan crew she had hired out of a job.

Clearly, the lengthy strike is not the Canadian industry’s fault. It is the result of poor negotiating tactics and an intractable split between the interests of non-celebrity actors (who need to work) and big stars who do commercials – those who could probably do without the extra cash for a while.

However, listening to the u.s. producers’ stories, it is easy to understand where they are coming from. There is truth to the tales of American production veterans of 20 years losing their homes and health insurance while we are unquestionably recruiting crews through underemployed friends of friends to meet the demand.

There is human suffering attached to the strike and perhaps that should quell not our willingness to produce the jobs, but our inclination to gloat.