AFM Canada at the ECMA & Juno Awards

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June 1, 2025

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Representatives from the AFM’s Canadian Office attended Canada’s biggest music awards this spring.

JUNO Award week, celebrating Canada’s largest annual music event, was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, March 27-30. Canadian Office Executive Director Liana White and AFM International Executive Board Member and Local 149 (Toronto, ON) Executive Director Dusty Kelly represented the union at the awards. The week’s events included the JUNO Chair’s Reception, Opening Gala, Awards Show, Songwriters’ Circle, and Live Broadcast Awards Show. This year’s Awards Show was extra special as former Vice President from Canada Alan Willaert was recognized posthumously.

Proudly supporting nominees and winners at the East Coast Music Awards in St. John’s, Newfoundland (L-R): Musicians’ Pension Fund of Canada Interim Executive Director Paul Versteeg-Lytwyn and Director Pension Benefits Humbert Martins; Canadian Office Executive Director Liana White; AFM Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliott; and Canadian Office Membership Services Manager Cathy Lee.

East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Week is the biggest music conference and event celebrating Atlantic Canada musicians. For the first time in 10 years, the event was held May 6-11 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Labrador. The union had a very active presence at this year’s event. In addition to hosting a booth, staff and officers worked with ECMA to hold a joint town hall discussion on touring the United States in today’s climate.

AFM International Executive Board Member and Local 149 (Toronto, ON) Executive Director Dusty Kelly with (L-R) Tom Smee, board chair of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Mark Williams, CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

They also hosted a Lunch ‘n’ Learn panel, educating musicians on how the union can help maximize their earning potential and protect their works. Attendees learned how the Canadian Office represents them legislatively by lobbying as the Canadian Federation of Musicians to improve copyright protections and implement tax credits.

Executive Director White was invited to participate in ECMA’s Export Ready Program, connecting the union with export ready artists and their representatives. As part of this program, there were one-on-one meetings with artists and industry, providing in-depth and personalized mentoring.

Canadian Office and Musicians’ Pension Fund of Canada’s lunch panel at the East Coast Music Conference. (L-R): Musicians’ Pension Fund of Canada Director Pension Benefits Humbert Martins, Local 820 (St. John’s, NL) Vice President Rozalind MacPhail, AFM Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliott, and Canadian Office Executive Director Liana White.

AFM Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliott, Local 820 (St. John’s, NL) Executive Director Rozalind MacPhail, Canadian Office Membership Services Manager Cathy Lee, Canadian pension fund Interim Executive Director Paul Versteeg-Lytwyn, and the fund’s Director of Member Benefits Humbert Martins also participated in the event.

The Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) helped to sponsor free concert performances in connection with ECMA week events with showcases featuring classical music, children’s music, and family-fest street performance events.

View listing of AFM JUNO and EMCA winners.

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