A new year gives us a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead. To take stock of where we are and where we want to go. To decide who we want to be and what we want to fight for. I’m grateful to begin it alongside such strong and committed members of the Canadian Media Guild (CMG).
Let me introduce myself: I’m Jane Robertson and I was elected in the fall as president of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the CMG. The mandate began on January 1, 2026 and it will run until December 31, 2028. You can find the full list of your NEC here on the CMG website. We are working together to come up with a strategic plan to help guide us over the three-year mandate to best deliver for members from coast to coast to coast.
My background is with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC/Radio-Canada) where I have worked in various roles and locations over the past 19 years. Most recently, I worked out of Prince Edward Island as a video producer. Before that, I worked in Edmonton and Iqaluit. Since the early days, I have been a proud member of the union and have worked in roles like the CBC/Radio-Canada Branch Executive Committee (BEC) and on our last round of bargaining. For the next three years, I look forward to working hard to deliver positive changes for all CMG members in all the different branches.
I want to thank the past NEC members for being extremely generous with their time helping new NEC members get up to speed on their portfolios. There was a lot of amazing work done by the previous team and we will continue working alongside those folks in other union matters into the future. A special thanks to the former president Annick Forest — she brought so much passion for building a strong union for all Canadian Media Guild members. Her leadership has put a lot of good things in our union’s path. Our members’ union will continue to benefit from the previous NEC’s work for years to come.
The new NEC has big shoes to fill. The vast majority, myself included, are new to our roles. We will take a little time to get up to speed before working hard on things that will make life better for our members and the Canadian labour movement. The things I campaigned on were communication, education and collaboration. We are already diving into how we can better communicate with members, the public and government by using different digital tools to reach people where they are. As a child of educators, lifelong learning is important to me personally. Our union can be a training source that helps members be better stewards, bargain more efficiently and work toward shared goals. And finally, allies and collaborators within and in the labour movement who can work with us as we move forward together. It is building those strong connections that will enable us to find shared interests where we can stand together. I encourage anyone who has questions about the work that we do to reach out as I feel it is important that folks feel their voice can be heard at every level of their union.
This work is not just us in leadership roles. We will need you involved as well to ensure our union carries forward. In the coming weeks, there will be calls for participation as several national committees are re-formed, including the Election Oversight Committee and the Equity and Human Rights Committee. In addition, a new ad hoc committee will be created following a resolution passed at the 2025 Convention to examine ways to streamline CMG’s structure and governance models. We will also be looking for members interested in serving as representatives with CWA Canada, as its National Representative Council meets in April.
We’re also looking to see if members are interested in getting involved in two upcoming key days.
We’re looking for volunteers to help organize a panel discussion for International Women’s Day. This panel will highlight women’s voices, experiences, and leadership across our workplace and industry. Volunteers would be helping with shaping the focus of the panel and identifying and inviting panelists from among members.
If you are interested, please email info@cmg.ca by January 30.
As we prepare to mark Black History Month, we’re inviting members to contribute content that reflects, celebrates, and honours the experiences and contributions of Black colleagues and communities.
We welcome:
- Personal reflections or lived experiences
- Short written pieces, profiles, or interviews
- Creative submissions such as artwork or photography
- Resource recommendations (books, films, podcasts, etc.)
- Ideas for events or learning opportunities
Please feel free to share content anytime between now and February 14, 2026.
For the next three years, I will be based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and will travel to the main office and across the country as often as needed. You can always reach me at president@cmg.ca if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
Looking forward to working for and with you over the next few years.
In solidarity,
Jane Robertson
President, Canadian Media Guild