The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television will hand out a set of special Gemini awards to those who have made a considerable contribution to Canadian television. The awards will be presented over the three nights of the Geminis program (Nov. 5, 6 & 7) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

On Nov. 5, Bell ExpressVu will receive the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award. The satellite television company is cited by the Academy for being the first broadcast service in Canada to successfully launch a large-scale television collection to be seen by a national direct-to-home viewership.

Broadcast journalist David Studer will be taking home the Gordon Sinclair Award for his body of work. The first to receive this special Gemini, Studer has worked with Global, ctv (W-5) and the cbc over his 30 years in the business. Currently with the cbc, Studer was one of the original staff members of The Journal and is now the executive producer on the fifth estate.

The John Drainie Award this year will be awarded to Canadian television institution Pierre Burton. Formerly the actra Award, the John Drainie will honor Burton’s work in television broadcasting, including his hosting jobs on The Great Debate and Front Page Challenge. Burton joins the ranks of such past recipients as Gordon Pinsent, Barbara Frum and Peter Herrndorf.

Suzette Couture will receive the Margaret Collier Award on Nov. 6 for her years of writing and producing for Canadian television. Couture has won Geminis for her work on the miniseries Love and Hate and Conspiracy of Silence. She currently writes for and produces The City, with partner Pierre Sarrazin.

A. Gordon Craig is the recipient of the fourth Academy Achievement Award for his 45-year contribution to Canadian television. Currently chairman and ceo of NetStar Communications, Craig started his career in 1955 as a cameraman at cbc and is credited with such major achievements as launching tsn in 1983.

The documentary Loyalties will be presented with the Canada Award on Nov. 7. Supported by the Multiculturalism Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Award recognizes programming that reflects the cultural mosaic of Canada. Loyalties is a documentary by Lesley Ann Patten for Ziji Productions and the nfb about an ‘army brat’ who returns to her community in Nova Scotia to find that people are apprehensive about her being there.

Jayne Eastwood will receive the Earle Grey Award for her work as an actress. Eastwood, no stranger to Canadian stage and film productions, is best known for such television programs as King of Kensington and most recently Riverdale.