It is an exciting day for me as it is my first as President of CASC. It will be a pleasure to help steer our organization to a more equitable future for Canadian comedians.

Before we look to the future, however, let me take the opportunity to highlight the driving force responsible for where the Association is today, our founding President Sandra Battaglini. Sandra told me of her aspiration for a professional association of comedians about four years ago. Anyone working in comedy in Canada knew this was sorely needed. I told her I’d be happy to help, although I didn’t expect anything to come of it, as I had heard this type of talk before, only for it to be eventually forgotten.

Fortunately, that was not the case this time. Not on Sandra’s watch. Sandra’s spark caused the flame and her passion provided the fuel to get CASC off the ground. Her bravery and tenacity guided us to be a voice for comedians that had been sadly lacking in our industry and country.

Ironically, we learned that when we speak, people may listen. When we speak together, we will be heard. Sandra never backed away from the tough decisions or the personal criticism she received for being the public face of CASC. All the while, she worked tirelessly on our behalf. Articulately arguing for us on practically every level of government and business in our country. She would try to find a solution for just about anyone in our community that came to her with a problem.

I was there, and it was exhausting just to watch her do it. I can say without a doubt, every comedian in our country owes her a debt of gratitude.God willing, CASC will have many Presidents over the years to come, but we will have only one Sandra Battaglini.Thank you Sandra.The only thing Sandra wants in return for her effort, is that we all seize the opportunity to support CASC however we can.

Alone our voices go unanswered. Together through CASC, our voice is heard.Now, it will be up to us on the board of CASC to continue to speak for our community and up to the community, to always remember the power of our united voice.

Monty Scott, President of CASC

TRIBUTE

“No Canadian Dream” by Stompin’ Tom. An entire song about how Canadian radio preferred to play American content. https://youtu.be/4c9os1KlrTk

The music of strangers, they play in our homes
And tell us that we don’t have songs of our own
They give us no choices, and make it quite clear
They’ll play what they want us to hear

Canadian radio, boy is it grand
When you want to hear music from some other land
They tell us to like it, and flow with the stream
We have no Canadian dream

There’s no Canadian dream my friends
They have no Canadian dream
The radio players and the music declares
We have no Canadian dream

Canadian radio, boy is it grand
When you want to hear stories from some other land
They teach us to long for those far away scenes
For there’s no Canadian dream