The Gemini Awards’ first foray outside of Toronto proved to be a good move on the part of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the B.C. industry that contributed so much to make it happen. The excitement of finally hosting the nation’s TV awards in a different Canadian production center was palpable on the West Coast – it certainly provided a breath of fresh air when you consider the jaded attitude the mainstream Toronto press has brought to the festivities in recent years.

And, as it did last year, Global Television brought the requisite glitz to the ceremonies in Richmond, BC, outside of Vancouver. There were even young fans lining the red carpet and screaming for the celebrity entrants – admittedly that was mostly for presenter Evangeline Lilly, the beauty from Lost, and Rockstar: Supernova screamer Lukas Rossi, who performed – but still, in Toronto all you get are a few of those weird autograph hounds who chase down anyone.

The awards show itself could have used some of that fandemonium on display on the red carpet. Many of the folks in attendance – and we’re talking some broadcasters whose shows were nominated and even awards winners themselves – found the show flat. Well, it’s an awards show, after all – what are you going to do? My father refers to even the Oscars – the Cadillac of awards shows – as ‘the longest night of the year.’

But what you could do is open up the event to the public – sell some cheap tickets to the likes of Rossi fans, who would have compensated for the comatose energy of the ‘What, this again?’ crowd of industry folks on hand at the River Rock Casino Resort on Nov. 4.

This excitement – and the Junos have it – would only amplify the buzz around the broadcast. Global brass explain that they contemplated just such a plan, but in this case the size of the venue was prohibitive.

Nonetheless, many of those who were watching at home – of whom there were not many – found the broadcast slick and short, which is an improvement.

Of course, burying it on Saturday night did little to promote the industry. Surely Global could have taken a chance and put this on in a better timeslot – Rossi evidently still has a following from the Global show that launched him, which could have brought in a decent audience and promoted some domestic TV in the process. Instead, only 203,000 tuned in from coast to coast, as the event fell off the public’s radar, except in B.C., which had the novelty of hosting the thing.

And not everyone was happy with the disproportionate attention heaped upon Canuck ex-pats Rossi and Lilly. To some it was ‘a celebration of the U.S. and our copycat programs,’ as local thesp Nicholas Campbell told The Globe and Mail. I say that if it takes the presence of local sons and daughters who’ve made good south of the border to draw attention to the show – coupled with decent schedule placement – then so be it.

Why should we shut the door on Canadian talent that has worked south of the border? Their success in the U.S. can be a good thing for the Canadian industry, whether it’s drawing attention to awards shows or whatever projects they choose to make here. Case in point, Lilly didn’t come up just for a 30-second trophy presentation. She also took the opportunity to chat up at least one broadcaster about a project she would like to produce here. Wouldn’t her star power be an asset to a Canadian film or MOW?

It sure worked when Ottawa native Kelly Rowan, star of The O.C., returned to her home and native land to make a couple of TV movies for CTV. One of those, Eight Days to Live, brought two million viewers – or 10 Gemini audiences – to the network when it aired on May 28. Isn’t this the kind of number we all want to see for our domestic productions?

So my point is this: whether the Geminis take place in Ontario or B.C., must our outlook continue to be so provincial?