Jonathan Torrens offers flights home to film workers hurt by Nova Scotia cuts

Jonathan Torrens is offering up free flights for the holidays to Nova Scotia film workers who've had to move away. Torrens is best known for playing J-Roc on the show Trailer Park Boys.

Last spring, Nova Scotia's Liberal government made big cuts to the province's film tax credit. The decision has been heavily criticized by members of the industry who say it's forcing film workers out of the province. 

• Related: Nova Scotia film industry shrouded in uncertainty under tax incentive

Torrens spoke with As it Happens host Carol Off about why he made this offer to fly his colleagues home. Here is part of their conversation:

Carol Off: Mr. Torrens, what moved you to put out this offer?

Jonathan Torrens: Bill Casey is my MP here in Nova Scotia. He reached out a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would join him to help bring a cartoonist named Robert Denton home from England. He's a quadriplegic and originally from here. But, he and his wife are trapped in England financially and don't have the means to get home. I said that's something I'd love to do. So, we put out the ask for Aeroplan points to help bring Robert and his wife back home for Christmas.

• Related: MP Bill Casey fundraising to bring disabled Truro cartoonist back to Canada

CO: When did you get the idea to actually put this offer out to those working in the film industry?

JT: This week there were some hearings in the government in Nova Scotia looking back at the decision to slash our tax credit eight months ago. It's still a very hot button issue here. And, I realized that I had friends who were now living across the country. They didn't intend to move, but they suddenly had to. It just broke my heart that they wouldn't be able to come home at this time of the year. I wanted to extend the option.

CO: You know many people who are trying to get home ... Are they people you know from the industry?

JT: It's kind of a combo platter. I think the gesture has resonated with so many folks because this may be the first public admission that it has been a hard year. Folks have lost houses and folks made plans based on promises that the premier made.

CO: Is this anecdotal? How many people have been … drained out of Nova Scotia with these changes to the tax incentives to the film industry?

JT: In the macro, there were a dozen projects on the books this summer and fall. They all, without exception, evaporated. Without thinking too hard, I probably know two dozen people, friends of mine, who have left. I work on a show called Trailer Park Boys. It shoots in Truro where Jeff Douglas is from. This is a town that's kind of a blue collar spot and needs a win. Trailer Park Boys has spent $12 million in Truro in the past couple years. This is not a town that can afford to turn away that type of business. So, whether Trailer Park shoots in Nova Scotia next year, remains to be seen.  

CO: If so many people have left because of these changes in policy, is it possible to rebuild?

JT: Well, I mean Vancouver is booming. Alberta has just committed more money to their film tax credit. Ontario is booming. The first thing we need to do is build a foundation with a new government … and see if we can pick up the pieces.

CO: So, bring us back to your offer to bring people back for Christmas. Do you really have enough points to bring all these people back?

JT: No, I do not. My supply is dwindling. But, I have some in the pantry and I've gotten offers from other folks who say 'I don't have many but you're welcome to them.'

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

To hear the full interview please select the Listen audio link above.