Ararat, Bollywood/Hollywood, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Atanarjuat: Canadian tales told by Canadians. But these represent something more. A paradigm shift, perhaps, in the content and in how we tell our tales? Certainly, these are not variations on Strange Brew or Goin’ Down The Road.

It is a shift because these are tales of Canadians of Armenian, East Indian and Greek descent and the tales of our indigenous peoples.

More importantly, it is a shift because not only are they shining a light on the multicultural face of the nation, but outshining the competition at the box office. My Big Fat Greek Wedding earned $26 million in 2002 at the Canadian box office, Atanarjuat earned $1.1 million, Bollywood/Hollywood, $1.2 million.

To boot, these films are garnering nominations and awards here and around the world, including a total of 14 nominations for Bollywood/Hollywood and Ararat in this year’s Genies (see our report, p. 13). Atanarjuat won numerous awards last year, including six Genies plus honors at Toronto and Cannes.

The latest census data regarding Canada’s ethnic makeup is worth noting.

According to the 2001 census, over 5.3 million, about one in every six, Canadians are allophone, people whose mother tongues are neither French nor English. The largest increase in the allophone population was coming from Asia and the Middle East, particularly those speaking Chinese, Punjabi and Arabic.

Even more significant, allophones account for 41% of Toronto inhabitants (1.9 million), 38% of Vancouverites; and hovering near 20% in Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. All but Montreal saw their allophone populations rise by about 20% since 1996.

In 1996 (2001 is not yet available), less than 27% of all Canadians reported their ethnic origin as either French or British.

Of course the significance of these numbers should not be lost on our national broadcasters. For years the CRTC has been pushing broadcasters to better reflect this ethnic reality in the types of programs they air. Recent licences to ethnically oriented toronto|one, Omni 2, Citytv Vancouver and Multivan have all reaffirmed the reg’s commitment in this area.

Indeed, on the local level, ethnic communities are the bread and butter of stations such as Citytv and Omni of Toronto and CJNT-TV in Montreal.

But we seem to be falling down with programs being developed on the national level. While docs and MOWs have managed to maintain an ethnic profile, the rating is poor in the dramas and comedies we produce. Very little beyond Vision’s ground-breaking Lord Have Mercy! fits the bill.

CBC could once boast North of 60, but that’s off the air. On CTV you can find a main character of Middle Eastern origin on The Eleventh Hour. Degrassi has its share of minorities.

Part of the problem is, of course, that we are simply not producing enough drama, an issue we are all too familiar with. As a result, national broadcasters must rely on imported product, particularly from the U.S. where the ethnic makeup is radically different, comprised of a significant Latino population as opposed to Chinese and East Indian.

It is a dilemma that must be addressed. Until the national casters can come up with a solution they are missing a significant opportunity.