Source : Montreal Gazette

Comedian honoured at banff festival. Made in Canada star's finest hour was Stockwell Day referendum stunt

He made laughing at Americans' ignorance of all things Canadian a national obsession and humanized stuffy Preston Manning by having him struggle with a childproof lighter.

But political satirist Rick Mercer's finest hour was a tongue-in-cheek cyber-petition to force Stockwell Day, then leader of the Canadian Alliance, to change his name to Doris Day, the 1960s singer who personified purity. What began as a wickedly biting dissection of the Alliance policy that said three per cent of the electorate could force a national referendum on any issue became one of the most memorable aspects of the 2000 federal election.

"At one point, 42 people a second were signing that petition," said the former star of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Made in Canada, who will receive the Sir Peter Ustinov Award for achievement in comedy today at the Banff Television Festival.

"In the blink of an eye, this was being e-mailed all over the world and within two weeks (Day) changed his campaign song to Que Sera Sera," Mercer added, laughing with obvious glee.

At 33, the comedian seems a tad young to be accepting a lifetime-achievement award. He prefers to view it as recognition for a body of work that has garnered him 20 Gemini awards.

In fact, Mercer was stunned to be added to a list of honourees that includes John Cleese, John Candy, Martin Short, Bob Newhart and Tracey Ullman.

"It's kind of mind-boggling," said Mercer, who will also co-host tonight's Rockie Awards, which salute international television. "I think if we were all in the same room, I'd have to be the bartender or something."

The St. John's, Nfld., native, who has spent the past decade working at the CBC, began doing comedy in high school and was inspired by the Wonderful Grand Band, which was "must-see TV" in Newfoundland and featured future Codco stars Greg Malone and Tommy Sexton.

Mercer says federal subsidies for Canadian programs are "imperative" for the industry's survival, just as Canadian-content rules for radio airplay were needed 15 years ago.

"People realize those rules and those subsidies played an awful large part in (developing) an industry that is now dominated globally by Canadian artists," he said from Toronto. "You don't hear people complaining about that anymore." Not with artists such as Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne topping music charts.

Mercer notes that Made in Canada has been exported all over the world, but the current-affairs format of the popular This Hour Has 22 Minutes leaves it with limited marketability.

"Who else would watch it? People in Ohio don't care about (federal Heritage Minister) Sheila Copps or some provincial politician," he said.

Ottawa has refused calls for a multimillion-dollar infusion for homegrown TV programming. Mercer calls that short-sighted.

"If it's an hour-long drama, it's never going to be able to compete with the hour-long drama based in Baltimore that costs $20,000 (to buy)," he said.

"We can't do that in Canada, so what you're really saying is 'I've thought about it and our country can't afford to have a culture when it comes to hour-long dramas.' "

There will be a sharp focus on Canada's TV industry during this year's Banff festival, as producers, broadcasters and other stakeholders from around the world descend on the Rocky Mountain resort town.

Charles Dalfen, president of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, will respond today to two reports critical of reduced funding for Canadian programming. The cash-strapped Canadian Television Fund will hold a special meeting tomorrow, and experts from Australia, France and Britain will discuss fostering homegrown industries.

"We are an international festival, but if you've got a critical situation and the whole Canadian industry is here, you can't put your head in the sand," said festival president Pat Ferns.

The festival will also feature a tribute to U.S. TV and honour James Burrows (co-creator of Cheers and writer/director of Will and Grace) and Sopranos creator David Chase. In addition, documentary producer David Attenborough will be given a lifetime-achievement award.

Mercer returns to political commentary in January with the Rick Mercer Show, a CBC production that will play up his sarcastic nature and allow him to travel the country skewering current events.

Mercer says his job isn't to simply report the news, but to have an opinion and attitude to match. "Journalists are supposed to be unbiased and just report the facts: I don't have to worry about that," he said.

Rick Mercer hosts the July 17 Just for Laughs gala at Theatre St. Denis. Call (514) 790-1111.

© The Gazette