During a career spanning just over three decades, garnering her numerous awards and accolades, Valerie Creighton says receiving her home province's highest honour-the Saskatchewan Order of Merit- “Topped the charts. First of all, it's the province's highest honour-and none of us get to the Saskatchewan Order of Merit on our own. I really believe that the people in our lives are big contributors to all we do. And the award is due in no small part to the people who have contributed to my life, professionally and personally.”
As one of Canada's cultural leaders, Creighton's career has culminated in her current position as president and CEO of the Canada Media Fund. The Stoughton native oversees a program that contributes nearly half a billion dollars to the development, financing and promotion of Canadian television and digital media content. As a result, over $1.2 billion in production has been created annually during the past five years, and 250,000 creative jobs in Canada have been fostered under her leadership.
“I'm extraordinarily fortunate to have a foot in each world,” says Creighton-who resides at her property, The Red Horse Ranch near Stoughton, when she's not on the road promoting and selling Canadian television and digital media content. “I spend about a third of my life on the road. I have a portable office and I take it with me everywhere. And I get to come home to this extraordinary province with land I'm so grateful to stand on.”
“I'm aware that I'm in a very privileged position, but travel is getting harder and harder,” she adds. “I get to travel to all kinds of wonderful places, but it is really hard work, too. We're all challenged by time and distance in this digitally-driven world, where we're accessible via email 24/7. We're all connected and it's an addictive system online. You're always connected, but there's the potential to never really get mental relief from that.”
“For me, coming home to Saskatchewan and to the ranch-the quiet, the magic, and the horses-allows me to erase whatever it was I thought was so important at the time and occupied my thought and energy. There, I can get down to what really matters and I can really focus on what's important.”
The citation introducing her as a member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit states: “(Valerie Creighton) is a tireless advocate for the arts in Saskatchewan, and in Canada. Described as a well-respected leader and visionary, she has played a special role in the growth, success and well-being of the arts and screen-based sector here in Saskatchewan, within Canada, and internationally.”
However, Creighton describes herself as “a voice” and “someone who cleans up.”
“I often get asked 'What on earth do you do?'” she says. “I act as a voice. At the CMF, we invest in and finance Canadian content in television and digital media. Some of the series I've been involved in are: Republic of Doyle, Heartland, Corner Gas and Motive, to name a few. Canadian ideas, Canadian sensibilities and Canadian ideals are really critical and we promote our content overseas and also work on co-productions with other countries.”
“I remember a friend telling me: 'You have managed your career so well,'”says Creighton. “But really, nothing could be further from that. What I really am is someone who's good at cleaning up. I'm not a very good maintainer. Anytime I've helped to rebuild an organization, I've found that we need new ideas and new people to take it to the next place.”
“With all of the positions I've held, I've just been open to the next opportunity the universe has offered.”
Creighton says that one of the most enjoyable aspects of her job is “exposing the people I care about to what I do.”
“I was able to arrange a set visit for my neighbours. The two girls were horse-crazy and the whole family were fans of the show, Heartland. They were so excited and so was I, to be able to make it happen.”
“And we also took the Heartland cast to France, after it first aired. The show is a big hit worldwide, now, but that trip was great, because for some of the kids on the show, it was the first time they've been out of the country.”
No stranger to 80-hour work weeks, Creighton has participated in trade missions led by prime ministers and provincial premiers to Germany, China and the U.S. And although she often travels to Europe, India, Southeast Asia and America-and works most regularly in Toronto-she says her prairie roots serve to ground her.
“My mother, Erna Creighton is 93, and she ain't no wallflower,” laughs Creighton. “When I think of what's next for me, I don't think in terms of retirement. I was taught to be independent of mind and spirit and to stay humble and have a sense of humility and I hope, a sense of humour.”
When she received news that she would be awarded the province's Order of Merit, Creighton composed two emails-which she sent to the people who have impacted her life both personally and professionally.
“I believe we all contribute and none of us contributes alone. The people in our lives are big contributors and I really believe that every person I emailed contributed to my life personally and professionally.”
Although her son was unable to make it to the ceremony, Creighton's daughter journeyed from Los Angeles to attend, as well as her nephew, her two brothers, her sister-in-law and of course, her “very proud” mother.
“It was so humbling to find myself among a group of people who have contributed so much to this province,” she says. “There were 10 of us who received the Order of Merit and there were 80 nominations in total. I know that any of those 80 people were worthy of the honour, too. So it's all very humbling. I think all of us were in a bit of a state of disbelief. Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor was there, the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition were there. It was very elegant and very formal, but still a very friendly Saskatchewan event.”
“It's very humbling and I deeply appreciate this recognition which comes from home, where it means the most.”
