Child actors are excluded from the Legault government’s bill which aims to limit the work of children under 16. A missed opportunity to better regulate the increasingly frequent use of children on stage and on film sets?
Not according to Félixe Ross, who is coach game for children for more than twenty years. “A child on a film set is not like a kid picking strawberries in a field. He is protected by a union [l’Union des artistes]. There is often a coach with him, and even his parents. It is linked to a clear contract, with rules. A child who works in a restaurant, he can work 14 hours online and no one would know, ”explains the actress to illustrate that the reality of the labor market cannot be stuck on the artistic world.
There are child artists around me who have prime minister’s agendas
Almost the entire industry, subject to the status of the artist rather than labor standards, escapes the bill presented at the end of March by the Minister of Labor Jean Boulet. This includes not only film and television, but also music, dance, theatre, dubbing and advertising.
Apart from a few other exceptions, such as babysitting and sports activities, Bill 19 aims to prohibit work for those under 14 years old. There is currently no minimum age for employment in Quebec. While the labor shortage is pushing many bosses to turn to younger and younger employees, the government also intends to define the work of teenagers aged 14 to 16. In order not to harm their school career, they could not work more than 17 hours a week, and 10 hours from Monday to Friday, if the bill is adopted.
Education, a challenge
However, a child can work much more than 17 hours a week on a film set, where the days are sometimes very long. And often, even, these children are less than 14 years old.
“It’s true that children miss school. But don’t see it as skipping school, though. They always have tutors. And it’s very strict. It’s not kidding. They work very hard, and often they are even children who do better than average at school, ”underlines Félixe Ross, who notably accompanied the actors on several filming of youth programs.
Actor Olivier Loubry, who began his career at the age of 10, is rather of the opinion that there is still a lot to be done to promote studies among young people who taste celebrity. If he welcomes the presence of tutors on long shoots, he notes that young actors often accumulate small contracts in parallel, in advertising for example, where the supervision is not the same.
“There are child artists around me who have premier agendas. And the first thing that jumps out in these cases is school. Except that we know that most of these children will not have a career as adults. So they find themselves without schooling and a little in front of nothing at 18-19 years old ”, underlines the one who notably played in Watatatow And The Duval heirs.
Requested measures
Former member of the board of directors of the Union of artists (UDA), Olivier Loubry had made the improvement of the conditions of child actors his main battle horse. Along with Jessica Barker, he helped set up a trust for young comedians that aims to prevent malicious parents from taking advantage of their child’s pills.
However, he regrets that the union does not fight more firmly against school dropouts. Olivier Loubry would like child actors to be able to renew their UDA membership card only if they provide proof that they are continuing their education. A membership card which has the value of a work permit in the artistic environment.
“I understand that the current bill does not affect the artistic community, because it is too different a sector, if only for the question of working hours. But if the CAQ government [Coalition avenir Québec] wants to pass another bill to force the UDA to check that its member children go to school, I will be the first to applaud it, ”suggests the comedian.
In full transition, following the election of a new president, the UDA could not react on Thursday.