A  collective of over 250 artists and filmmakers has raised concerns about the appointment process for the successor to outgoing National Film Board of Canada (NFB) head Claude Joli-Coeur.

In a letter addressed to Minister for Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez and recently posted on Facebook, the group NFB/ONF Creation alleges it was “shocked to learn that” Joli-Coeur, who leaves his post as government film commissioner and chairperson of the NFB in November, “is on the hiring committee to select his own replacement.”

“This is a violation of the principles of good governance and the appearance of impartiality which underlies public trust in our institutions,” said the post, which was first reported on by the Globe & Mail.

When asked for comment, an NFB spokesperson told Playback Daily the organization “cannot comment since the hiring process for the next government film commissioner, and for all senior positions, falls under the responsibility of the Government of Canada and is confidential.”

A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage did not comment specifically on the allegations to Playback but noted “this is not a hiring process, it’s an appointment process.” The spokesperson also sent a link to the government website that explains how “Governor in Council appointments are made by the Governor in Council—the Governor General acting on the advice of Cabinet.” It also notes the “government is committed to open and transparent processes for selecting GIC appointees, to help strengthen trust in Canada’s democracy and ensure the integrity of its public institutions.”

Playback interviewed Joli-Coeur before the allegations about the appointment process surfaced. When asked if he knew who was replacing him, he said: “No, the process is underway. I think the applicants had until mid-June to apply. My big hope is that at least a month before the end of my turn, Nov. 27, the person would be appointed.”

The letter was signed by NFB/ONF Creation representatives Munro Ferguson and Philippe Baylaucq. Ferguson, an NFB animation director, tells Playback the group learned Joli-Coeur is allegedly on the committee from “two eye witnesses who were in the room during the job interviews.” Joli-Coeur “was there as a representative of the NFB board of trustees,” he says.

“As well as being NFB commissioner, Mr. Joli-Coeur is chairman of the board,” says Ferguson. “The hiring committee for commissioner, the top job at the NFB, always has someone from the board as well as representatives from Heritage and the Clerk of the Privy Council office participating in the interviews and decision-making process.”

Separating the roles of government film commissioner and chair of the NFB is something that NFB/ONF Creation has been requesting for several years. In 2019, the group also issued a statement expressing concern over what they said was a decrease in production funding and an increase in administrative spending at the NFB. Joli-Coeur subsequently held national consultations with creators and collaborators in order to address the concerns and create the NFB’s new strategic plan.

The latest post from NFB/ONF Creation also alleges that “two of the possible candidates” to replace Joli-Coeur “are former NFB employees and were rival candidates to Mr. Joli-Coeur when he applied to be re-appointed Commissioner in 2019. After he was retained in his job, Mr. Joli-Coeur eliminated the positions of those two employees. How can those two candidates expect to be fairly evaluated?”

Ferguson tells Playback that those two possible candidates have been interviewed for the position. Neither the NFB nor Rodriguez have responded to NFB/ONF Creation’s concerns, he adds.

Image courtesy of the NFB. Credit: Stephan-Ballard