MONTREAL: U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama may have Matt Damon and Oprah on his side, but Liberal leader Stéphane Dion has his share of celebrity support in the lead-up to the Oct. 14 vote.

• Veteran broadcaster Denise Donlon takes the reigns at CBC Radio as its new executive director on Sept. 29. The CHUM vet and former president of Sony Music Canada replaces Jennifer McGuire, and arrives following the overhaul of CBC Radio 2.

• CBS has followed CTV’s lead and signed up for another 13 episodes of Flashpoint, extending the cop drama’s life in the U.S. into next year.

Harper has no soul, Layton is un-electable and Dion is a sock puppet – which leaves few choices, all of them grim, as industry folk head to the polls on Oct. 14. But you gotta pick someone, right? So we ask:

Panelists at the Vancouver Film and Television Forum paint a bleak picture of the state of the indie film business. Still a solid TV market for docs, however

Talks break down between the union and advertising agencies over job categories and new media provisions

Producer partners Jesse Ikeman and Jeff Glickman go to camera at Filmport on latest from the cult director, with two other feature comedies on the go

Lineup includes reality competitions for cheerleaders and stars going country, plus an original drama about a country music network

While the private nets are busy pushing new series, the pubcaster is back this fall talking up new eps of scripted hits such as Little Mosque on the Prairie and Sophie

No audience applause heard as the Canada/Brazil/Japan copro opens the Vancouver fest. More kudos go to the festival itself

Sword’n’sorcery telemovie Merlin & The Book of Beasts underway around Vancouver for Sci-Fi and Starz. Laura Harris and James Callis star

Airing of sex-trade doc by Associated Producers brings surprise charitable contributions from audience