The most verbose and colorful acceptance speech at the 2004 Genie Awards was given prior to the broadcast by Peter Simpson, chairman and CEO of Norstar Filmed Entertainment, whose production credits include Blown Away, Iron Eagle IV and Regeneration. Upon receiving a Special Genie for his ‘commitment to the production and distribution of films in Canada and his ongoing mentorship of young talents,’ Simpson opened with a promise to ‘leave the Telefilm bashing ’til the end of the speech.’

But he couldn’t quite wait until the end, needling Telefilm for its controversial recent deal with Hollywood’s Creative Artists Agency to have the latter try to recruit Canuck actors based in Hollywood as well as appropriate stories for Canadian productions, in return for a packaging fee. ‘I hope Stursberg doesn’t [expect] to get his phone calls answered at that price,’ Simpson quipped.

Simpson signed off by calling upon Telefilm and the industry to ‘kick some DCMS ass, because they are ruining what should be a bilateral trade agreement,’ referring to the British Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s recent crackdown on what it deems tax-shelter abuses by U.K. equity suppliers in copros with Canada.